About a Girl
by krissyg927
Summary: Daryl and Carol meet in 1996 at the summer camp where they are both working. Both are keeping a few secrets but maybe, just maybe there's something worth telling the truth for. AU no ZA. Caryl.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: Here I am again stuck in the nineties. All credit for this idea goes to Magenta's nightmare, my ff bff. She gave me the idea and I ran with it. She wrote the beginning to this and then gave it to me. Also, to my wonderful friends who give me prompts, because I beg for them. I start each and every one and work on them as I am inspired to do. I haven't forgotten any of them. You will see yours I promise._**

 ** _Gratuitous song lyrics, you know me by now._**

 ** _A stranger's light comes on slowly,_**

 ** _A stranger's heart without a home._**

 **** ** _Fade Into You-by Mazzy Star_**

 **The room over the garage was her haven. She cranked up the music and let her long, red hair hang down nodding her head to the song. There was nothing music couldn't cure or inspire.**

 **She was angry as hell these days but that was probably typical of any 17 year old at times. Spending the summer working was not her idea of a good time but her mom had pushed her into it promising her extra money for a better car if she agreed.**

 **Summer camp with children...joy.**

 **She was supposed to be packing but she was sitting on the floor of her bedroom having a smoke and playing Nirvana as loud as it would go.**

 **"Hey!"**

 **She jumped out of her skin and put out the smoke, waving her hand around as if it would make a difference now.**

 **"Get packing! And I thought you said you had stopped that, Carol."**

 **"I did but then I got cheated on and now I don't care."**

 **"You'll care when you're lugging around an oxygen tank and turn that down, you'll go deaf too!"**

 **She got up and turned it down sulking and annoyed.**

 **"Hurry up, Carol. I'm driving you to camp in one hour...move it!"**

 **She flopped on her bed and sighed. She was so heartbroken it would do her good not to have to see his face all summer but all those rug rats? She dreaded it more than a little.**

 **Garrett was supposed to be spending their last summer in town with her but now she wanted him dead. They had dated all through grade 10 and 11 and then she caught him with another girl at a grad party.**

 **/**

That was never happening to her again, she would never trust another boy again.

Carol threw her suitcase and backpack in the back of her mother's car and grumbled as she got in the passenger side. She had her hair up in two buns on her head like Sailor Moon, as her older brother used to say, but it kept it out of her face. She didn't care if she looked like that anime cartoon character, her hair was out of her face for once.

She couldn't be bothered right now and she was in a foul mood.

She did not want this job, she wanted to spend the summer hanging out with her friends. None of them were working for the summer and she wanted to be doing the same. But she also wanted a car, the life of a teenager was always full of decisions. In the end the thought of a car won on every level.

Still laying around on a lounge chair all summer working on her tan would have been nice.

But her parents were going through a divorce and she was getting sent to be a camp counselor. Her brother Abe was away at college, and he was just staying on campus for the summer doing orientations for the freshman.

Both Ford children were being dispatched so that their parents could divide up their lives and split the difference.

After what she went through with her ex, and saw of her parents' marriage she made a vow. She was never going to fall in love.

And this summer was going to suck.

"Could you at least try to act like you want to be there Carol Ann.?" He mother said as she started the car.

"I don't, two months in the woods with a bunch of ten year olds does not sound like anything I want to do." Carol replied. "You got me bug spray right?"

"Yes, it's in your suitcase love. And some Oreos for my favorite girl." She rubbed Carol's arm and Carol smiled a little because she loved Oreos and didn't know if they even had them at this camp.

She figured probably not, it was out in east jabib somewhere and probably they didn't even have running water. It was going to be gross.

"Maybe you'll make some friends, if your attitude changes." Her mother said. "Maybe there will be boys there."

"Boys!" Carol snapped. "I am done with boys."

Her mother nodded. Knowing full well that no seventeen year old girl is done with boys, no matter how much they say they are. She hoped she would make some new friends, the kids she hung with now were going nowhere fast in life.

Carol was smart and she needed to be going somewhere, college and beyond if she wanted. Jane hoped a new experience would prepare her in some way.

Carol's mother was secretly happy that Garett cheated on her daughter, horrible as that sounded. She did not trust that boy and now that he was gone, maybe Carol would make some new friends.

Garett said that he cheated because Carol wouldn't sleep with him, Carol had told her mother. Secretly, Jane was happy that Carol didn't let him talk her into something she wasn't ready for.

She was only seventeen, too young for any of that. Jane knew times were different now, but she and Carol had one of those relationships that was unique. Carol told her about what Garett said and also told her mother she was waiting for true love or until she was twenty, whichever came first.

Jane had done alright with her children, each of them confided in her in a way that none of their peers did with their parents. It made her heart sing. She was a good mother with good kids. She would never regret that part of the marriage that was now breathing its last breath this summer.

Good mothers did things for their kids own good, put their needs first.

That was the reason Carol's mother was removing her from the house this summer. She would be busy packing and moving and she didn't want Carol getting into trouble while she was distracted.

And Carol just plain needed some fresh air.

"Abe has a new girlfriend." Her mother was saying. "Rosita or Renata, something like that."

"Yeah, I know he called the other day while you were at work. Her name is Rosita and she's from Delaware. He's in love, the dumbass." Carol said.

"Honey, I know that you feel hurt right now, and God knows, your father moving out, doesn't help matters. But I'm happy for your brother, she's his first serious girlfriend."

Carol side eyed her mother. She knew what was coming, some sort of new age babble about sunshine and sunflowers. Her mother was such a hippie.

"Someday you'll understand honey, I'm not giving up on love and neither should you."

Carol was sure her mother was taking too many Xanax or something, she was taking this divorce way too well. Weren't women supposed to be crying and wailing over a divorce? Her mother actually seemed happy. She seemed relieved, like she was looking forward to being single.

Her father too, she had seen him the night before and he was smiling. He had said she should call him if she needed anything and that his new job out of state was starting in a week. He said he would come see her often and she knew he would keep his word.

But this was still a shock to both Abe and Carol.

They had just decided to separate when he got the job offer and Carol didn't get it at all. It hurt though, somewhere deep inside, her family was breaking up and things would never be the same again.

"Do me a favor and try and have an open mind for this job, I want you to have a good summer."

"Then let me stay home."

Her mother shook her head.

"No dice cookie, you need to do something different for a change, this will be good for you."

Carol really doubted that, but she didn't want to fight with her mother all the way to the mountains where this godforsaken place was. She loved her mother and they were best friends. She would try, so that things would be easier on her mother.

The first person to make a crack about Friday the 13th and camp Crystal Lake was getting punched in the face though.

Carol turned on the radio and smiled just a bit. "Alive" by Pearl Jam was on. That Eddie Vedder was one hot looking guy. Maybe she could get tickets to see Pearl Jam when they toured now that she was going to be making some money. Maybe a job wasn't such a bad idea after all.

 _ **A/N: Let me know what you think. This one is almost all done, a first for me. Ha**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: As usual I am completely blown away by the response to this story. Thank you to everyone, especially Magenta for her unwavering friendship and support. ILY. I hope you all like this chapter and please let me know. PS Jillis, thank you for the awesome review on Ao3 and I'm so glad we have the same musical taste, its always good to meet a kindred soul.**_

Merle Dixon turned the truck into the dirt and gravel parking lot of the camp where his brother was going to be spending the summer. They took one of the trucks that didn't have the team logo on it at Daryl's request. He wanted to slide in here under the radar and off the grid and that was his choice. Merle was fine with it and he wore a baseball cap to cover his face a bit just in case someone might recognize him.

He didn't want to fuck this up for Daryl if it was what he really wanted. Merle loved the attention but his brother was the quiet one, the sweet one. Daryl didn't like the crowds and preferred a quiet existence.

He was proud of Daryl for going ahead and getting a job for the summer, doing something he wanted to do. At his age Merle had been too busy chasing good times and pussy. Their profession afforded them both, in abundance.

Merle enjoyed it and reveled in it, his little brother did not.

Daryl wasn't like that at all, Merle suspected it had to do with their father who beat on both of them until he died suddenly a few years ago. He tried to protect Daryl as best he could but he wasn't always there.

Merle had followed his father into the family business and it took him away from home more often than not, from the age of seventeen until now.

Their father had made his fortune and retired, hiding his true nature from the world and only his sons knew who he really was. Merle was never sure exactly what happened to Daryl, but he knew it wasn't good.

But he was gone now and good riddance too. Merle was happily carrying on the family legacy, and he sure enjoyed the perks.

Still, Merle was sure that his brother suffered the affects from that, maybe more than he did because he was older and out of the house as much as possible.

He took Daryl with him as much as he could to keep him out of the old man's path, but they had both had a hard life. The old man died in a car accident when Daryl was eleven and left them, with a lot of money.

The boys got a huge insurance payout, but also Merle got the reins of Dixon Race and Motorsports Inc.

Merle raced cars, like their father did, but Merle was better than their father and although they had both been on the circuit together at one time, Merle didn't shine until the old man was gone.

They amassed a nice chunk of money even before the old man crashed, on the street, not on a track.

Now they were worth a fortune, because Merle always won. Daryl turned wrenches for Merle and he was just as happy to be behind the scenes or in the pit.

Daryl had a plan, he wanted to combine his love of nature and find a way to make a living at it. He would major in envirmental sciences when he went to college.

They could afford it, a few times over.

Daryl put his money into CD's for college, but Merle spent a good part of his on women and booze.

But he was a different man now, he was ten years older than Daryl and at 27 he had sobered up and cleaned up his act. He had stepped up in his father's place in their work and had a three year chip from Alcoholics Anonymous.

They gave you chips for each three month milestone in your first year and then once a year on your anniversary dry date from then on. Merle Dixon had three years clean and sober.

It was hard to go to AA at first because he was famous, but quickly he learned that didn't matter a damn to the people in those rooms. He earned his chair there, just like everyone else.

He still chased pussy though, he wasn't dead after all. Daryl was turning 18 in a year and would be going to college, Merle hoped he would really do it. That was the plan, Daryl didn't want to race, it wasn't in him like it was their father and Merle and that was fine.

They were two different people but they were tight and had each other's backs no matter what.

This being away from home would be a good experience for him. Get him ready for the real world. Secretly, Merle was proud of him for not taking the easier, softer way. Because he easily could, but chose not to.

Merle worried about him though, all he did is hunt and read. Merle didn't even think he ever had a woman before. Actually he was sure of it. At his age he had plowed through half his school, and he knew for a fact Daryl was a virgin. He couldn't even be sure he had every kissed a girl before.

No matter, he'd work on getting him laid when he got back from this stint out in the woods.

"This is right up your alley aint it?" Merle said to him as they parked. "All this woods and that lake, it's like On Golden Pond up here. I'm surprised you don't got a boner over this place."

Daryl rolled his eyes at Merle, boners and women, that's all that was ever on Merle's mind. Daryl was sure he was going to turn their house into a brothel like in "Risky Business" while he was away. He locked his bedroom door when he left and hoped for the best. Two months was a long time, his room might not be standing when he got back.

They got out of the truck and Daryl pulled his crossbow out of the bed and slung it over his shoulder. As he was pulling his suitcase out too Merle elbowed him.

The other youth counselors were also arriving. There were several girls his age and their parents walking by them on the other side of the parking lot.

Daryl shook his head at Merle, and Merle shrugged.

"Come on baby brother are we even related?" He said. "They too young for me of course, but not you."

"That all you think about, Merle." Daryl said adjusting the crossbow on his back.

"Pretty much." Merle nodded to him.

Carol and her mother pulled in a few feet away, and Daryl turned when he heard the car, there was no mistaking the sound of that car. He couldn't stop staring over there, first of all her mother was driving a classic 1985 Porsche 911 Targa. He knew cars and that was a sweet ride.

Second of all, the girl, whose name he didn't yet even know, well she was adorable with her hair up like that. He imagined it to be long and pretty. The kind of hair a guy's hands could get lost in.

Merle walked up behind him as he watched her pulling her back pack out of the back of her car. He openly stared like he didn't notice anything else around him.

"Oh I see." Merle cackled low so only Daryl heard him, pulling him out of his own thoughts. "You like red heads."

"Shut up Merle." He said as he dropped his suit case on the ground, just missing Merle's foot. "Was looking at the car."

Merle smiled his signature Merle smile. "Sure you were little brother."

He slapped Daryl on the back.

"What's with that hairdo though brother? It looks painful." Merle said. "She needs to unwind those braids a little ya know what I mean?" He elbowed Daryl and grinned at him. "Good to know ya at least interested in something other than trees."

Up at the lodge someone was blowing a whistle. Daryl turned to see what was going on and so did Carol from over by her car.

A young man in his twenties at least was holding a clip board and he had a baseball cap on his head backwards.

"Good morning everyone, thank you for being on time. My name is Rick Grimes and I'm the senior counselor here, can we all say our good byes and then meet me in the large dining room." Rick stopped for air and then continued his talk.

He yelled as loud as he could trying to get everyone's attention over the sound of cars driving in and out of the gravel parking lot.

"Please see Glenn or Tara for your nametags and cabin assignments inside before you join me in the big dining room. They will be in the hallway and then meet me in the big dining room."

Merle leaned over to Daryl. "What's with this guy, why's he gotta say big dining room so much."

"I don't fuckin know, he looks like a tool." Daryl said.

"I'm gonna take off kid." Merle said. "You call if you need anything ya hear."

Daryl nodded. "I will, thanks for the ride."

"No problem." Merle said getting into the car. "You Have a good summer, talk to that girl."

"This isn't about a girl."

"Daryl." Merle smiled again as he started the truck back up. "It's always about a girl."

And he was gone.

/

Carol sat down with a group of girls in the big dining room, apparently somewhere there was a little dining room too. She didn't know where though, or what it was for. There had to be like twenty five kids her age here and it was noisy as hell.

She struck up a conversation with a dark haired girl named Lori who was from the other side of the state and a dark haired boy named Shane. They were her age and seemed nice enough, there were other kids at the tables and with them all chattering to each other.

The older boy Rick was talking to his two partners Tara and Glenn and there was another dark haired girl with a name tag on that said Maggie on it handing out numbers and nametags to everyone. Daryl sat at another table with a tall lanky kid named Gareth and few other kids.

He couldn't help where his eyes kept going.

"Hey, Carol." Lori said. "That guy is looking at you do you know him?"

Carol looked over to where Lori was signaling with her head subtly at Daryl and he knew he was caught. Merle was right, he did like red heads, he decided to take a gamble and he winked at her. He had never done anything so bold in his entire life, there was something about this girl that made him want to be brave.

Sometimes he wished he had the charisma his older brother had. He didn't, he was shy and awkward around girls no matter how hard he tried.

But maybe he could try one more time.

Merle would love this, he would eat it up with a spoon. He wasn't even here half an hour and he was eyeing a girl already. She didn't seem like the girls back home at all. They all knew who he was and had expectations.

Lori turned back and slapped her arm. "Did you see that?"

Shane looked over. "What are you going on about?"

"That boy winked at Carol." She said. "Carol, did you see that?"

Carol was ignoring her, she was not boy crazy, but this girl? Carol had her number already. That boy was cute but she was not interested, even if he had the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. His hair hung in his face in the cutest way too, covering one of his eyes, but nope.

No boys for her. She was done with that. Done.

"I don't care, Lori." She said turning back to her.

"Oh, boyfriend at home?" Shane said to her.

"No." She said as Maggie came by and placed numbers in front of each of them. "And I don't want one either."

Rick was tapping a microphone at the front of the room and started to talk.

"Ok, Maggie handed everyone a number, we are breaking you up into small groups for the tour. Glenn will take a group, Tara will take one and I will. We will show you all around the grounds and then we all will meet back here and go to our cabins to unpack. Then tonight we'll have a bonfire and get to bed early, because tomorrow. They're coming."

Rick waved his hand around in a flourish when he said the last part. They, meaning the fifteen ten year olds that were invading the next day. It was going to get really crazy really soon.

He instructed them to meet outside in five minutes.

Daryl looked over at the dark haired girl and the red head at the other table. That both had number fives written in their papers and so did he.

/

Tara's group consisted of Carol, Lori, Shane, Daryl and a bunch of other kids. Tara waited until they were all together before she spoke. She explained that they would be going all along the grounds and then to the cabins. There was a lake with row boats and a few fields for sports and tennis courts. They would visit all areas on the tour and would be given maps so they could find their way around.

There were a lot of paths all through the woods that were mapped out and Tara would bring them through the trails so that they could learn their way around.

Obviously the girls and boys cabins were far apart from each other she said and as she walked leading the group she cautioned against breaking the rule of being in the cabin of the opposite sex.

Daryl was barely listening as he walked behind the red haired girl. She had on a Nirvana concert t shirt and they just happened to be one of his favorite bands. If he could get up the nerve, he would have something to talk to her about.

After a little while of hanging behind her and the dark haired boy Shane fell in step with him as they followed Tara down the path.

"Hey." Shane said to him.

"Hey." Daryl answered.

"You're a Dixon aren't you?" Shane said.

Daryl just looked at him. This was how it usually went, he was used to it.

"I got your brother's autograph once, after a race, I saw you with him in the parking lot." Shane said.

Daryl didn't answer, he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Ask her what her favorite song is." Shane said to him.

"What?" Daryl looked over at him.

"Nirvana girl up there, you been staring at her ass this whole tour, do you even know what that girl Tara has been telling us?"

Daryl blushed and shook his head trying to remain cool. Nope, he didn't hear a thing Tara said, he had been looking at Carol in those cutoff jeans shorts. Merle would definitely call him a pussy for being afraid to talk to her. Now this guy had spotted him already, and he wasn't very subtle at all. Daryl had winked at her in the dining room and she had looked away.

He took that as a bad sign.

"She was sitting with me before." Shane said, as if Daryl didn't already know that. "No boyfriend back home."

Daryl shrugged again, he didn't know if he could put himself out there that way.

"Go ahead and I'll talk to her friend. And your secret is safe with me." Shane said walking towards the girls.

The two of them stepped closer just as the group came to the girl's cabins and everyone stopped. Daryl and Shane had been so focused on their own conversation that they bumped into Carol and Lori respectively, nearly knocking them over. Talk about embarrassing, now he was ready to go crawl under a rock for the rest of the summer.

Lori turned back prepared to give them both the what for but Shane just smiled at her, so she changed her plan. Carol was right about her, she was totally boy crazy.

"Hey there Shane." Lori said and they walked a little ahead of Daryl and Carol. Daryl tried to hide how nervous he was, but he was failing miserably. He had no game, that was what Merle always said.

"Hey." Daryl said to Carol.

"Hey." She said falling into step with him.

"So what's your favorite song?" He said trying to get his hair out of his eyes. He should have gotten a haircut before he came here. He was kicking himself in the ass right now, what had possessed him to wink at her, now it was all awkward.

He wasn't Merle who could charm the pants off of a nun. He was the exact opposite of Merle, he didn't know what the fuck he was doing when it came to girls.

She looked at him like he had three heads.

"Nirvana." He said pointing to her shirt, while thinking of ways to kill Shane for even suggesting this. "What's your favorite song?"

Now she understood and nodded. He fully expected her to say "About a Girl" or "Lithium" like most girls would. He was deep in thought about that and trying to think of something else to say.

"Guess." She said merrily and smiled a bright smile that made his heart speed up. But Tara was waving for them to come to the door of the cabin.

He was about to say "Dumb" and as Tara called them over to the door of the cabin, she turned back to him and smiled.

"Aneurysm." She said and then she followed Lori to the group where she had already gone leaving him and Shane standing there.

Daryl shook his head, he didn't see that coming at all. He knew that song, and holy fuck.

"That's a dirty song." Shane said and slapped Daryl on the shoulder. "You better keep talking to her."

He said and walked over to join the group.

"Come on Dixon, stop daydreaming." Tara shouted and he started to walk towards the group. He had already left quite an impression on this group and they had just gotten here. This was just great and he really hoped that kid Shane would keep his trap shut. Just once he wanted to be himself and not Merle Dixon's little brother.


	3. Chapter 3

They went on the tour of the entire camp that day and were surprised at how big the place was. It didn't look that big in the brochures. It was a great surprise to Daryl, because he planned on being out in the woods as much as possible.

All of his off time was going to be spent out there if he had anything to say about it.

He had brought his cross bow but Rick already made him lock it up in the main office because the bolts could potentially cause harm to someone. Rick's words not Daryl's and he was not pleased at all. Rick was a tool just like he thought.

The boy's cabins was on the opposite side of the grounds from the girls and that was by design.

It wasn't because of the ten year olds either, it was because of the counselors. Still every year someone tried to sneak out and over to the girl's cabins at night, it was like a rite of passage. They were strongly warned by all of the minions.

Don't try it, we will catch you and send you home.

Shane elbowed Daryl as they were giving that lecture and whispered that he was going to be the first one in history not to get caught.

Daryl thought maybe Shane was a tool too. But he was all he had right now and beggars could not be choosers. That Gareth kid was odd and Daryl had already decided to avoid him as much as possible.

There were seven boy cabins and nine girl cabins, each would have two teenage counselors and five campers. Rick had a cabin of kids on his own as did Maggie. Tara would be next door to Lori and Carol, with her own group because there were more girls camping than boys. That was how it usually ended up. Daryl and Shane had a cabin as well and would have five boys to corral all summer.

There were other counselors with other kids as well, it turned out that there were more coming than originally expected.

Older counselors were on the way Tara said, two of her good friends were driving up and had got caught in traffic. They would meet them later.

The lake was beautiful and they had swimming lessons every day for the kids there. There were rowboats and paddle boats too. A few of them were life guards and all of the older group with Rick were. They were all CPR certified as well and there was a nurse on site as well. Her name was Joann and they would meet her later.

There were also craft classes and various sports to keep the kids busy all day. That was their job, to keep them busy and out of trouble. They also had to keep themselves out of trouble too.

The guy Rick was talking again with his three minions, Tara, Glenn and Maggie. The rest of the teenage counselors had arrived back from their tours too. This was really a big place with lots of places to explore and Daryl couldn't wait to do that.

They each had to work a minimum of three hours a day and a max of six, because they were all underage, that was why there were so many counselors.

Plenty of time to go off on his own and do his own thing. He was lost in thought trying to figure out a way to get his crossbow back when he realized the red haired girl, Carol had taken her hair down.

It hung all the way down her back in big pretty curls. God but she was beautiful, why did she put all that pretty hair up like a cartoon character.

He wanted to touch her hair and he was sure it probably smelled wonderful, not that he thought he had a snowballs chance in hell of finding out.

Lori turned around from Carol who was shaking her hair out now and putting it up in a bun. Daryl was just busted staring. Lori had seen him, he could tell by the bright look on her face, but he didn't stop looking. He didn't want to. Couldn't.

"He's looking at you again." Lori sad.

Carol just shook her head sadly. She hoped this wasn't going to turn into a problem. She had a vow of chastity to keep up, she didn't need this boy messing that up on her.

Why was he so goddamn cute? The exact opposite of Garrett, with his light hair and blue eyes. She had noticed, even if she didn't want to.

"No way." She said.

"He's cute though and those blue eyes."

"You take him then." Carol said to her. She was pretty sure pawning him off on Lori was the way to go here.

"I don't go for blondes." She said putting her hair in a ponytail. "Don't you like boys?"

"Not at the moment." Carol said. "I just broke up with someone last week."

"Well, summers just started Carol, plenty of time to change your mind." Lori said. "I mean look at that mole over his lip, don't you just want to lick it."

Carol turned beet red at Lori's words, and it didn't get past Lori at all. She just smiled and tried to change the subject. That was the last thing she wanted to think about right now. But Lori was smiling, she had gotten to her, she knew Carol's Achilles heel now.

/

That night there was a cook out with the head counselors, Rick, Maggie, Glenn, Tara and they were joined by two other girls, Michonne and Andrea and two boys, Milton and Eugene. They were quite a crew that was for sure. Rick had his arm around the girl named Michonne making it very clear that she was with him.

They were their parents essentially for the summer, and this was going to be an interesting eight weeks. Rick liked to give orders and have them followed through on by his minions, Daryl noticed that right away. Still, he seemed ok, a little bit of a tool, but he had to be or there would be kaos for sure.

Shane and Daryl were hanging around d with this kid Zack, they had met and Gareth by the fire pit. The girls were sitting at a picnic table eating hamburgers and potato chips. Carol, Lori and another girl named Karen had formed a little group. There were two other girls Amy and Lisa sitting with them as well. A few other girls and boys milled around too, but they didn't all know each other yet. A blonde girl names Kelsey was standing up by Carol and looking at the boys.

"She's on the hunt." Lori whispered into Carol's ear.

"I need a cigarette." Carol said, as she was looking around to see where the head counselors were. She was going to sneak away, just for a few minutes. She needed a smoke ASAP, if not sooner.

"There's no smoking." Amy said. "You'll get in trouble."

Carol took her soda can and gave Lori a scrunched look. "Come-on."

Lori shook her head and so did the other girls they were sitting with, she just shrugged and started to walk away.

"It's 1996 Carol, everyone knows smoking is really bad for you." One of the girls named Kelsey said to her.

"I'll take that into consideration." She waved behind her at them, in effect dismissing them.

"You shouldn't." Lori said as he left but she was already half way down the path.

Carol made her way to a path that lead back towards the lakes, it was still light out and she wasn't nervous walking in the woods by herself. This wasn't a B horror movie, despite the surroundings. When she got to the lake that were deserted now she stopped and lit up.

She took a few drags and hummed to herself, Aneurysm as she was flicking the ashes in her half full soda can. It was going to be hard to sneak out to smoke here. Her mother would be glad to hear that when she wrote to her. Jane didn't like her smoking and Carol did want to cut down. She had almost quit and then Garrett had pulled his shit.

But she knew she couldn't blame it all on him. She did what she wanted and already she felt relaxed here. This was her first cigarette of the day. Usually she was halfway through her pack by now. She knew she would have to conserve. Where could she buy cigarettes anyway? The nearest store was way the hell over on the other side of the mountain.

She walked closer to the lake to look at it and it was so beautiful, so peaceful. Maybe this was just what she needed, time to just be, without any worries.

She loved to swim and couldn't wait to jump in there tomorrow. She was lost in thought, thinking of how her mother had been right and smoking her cigarette. Humming: Come on over and do the twist.

Then she heard a twig snap off to the side of her and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around and off to the side was that blonde haired kid Daryl lighting a cigarette of his own. He looked up at her with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth and put his zippo back in his pocket.

"All great minds huh?" He said to her.

"Shhhhh." She hissed. "You're going to get us caught. Oh my God you scared me."

"Pfffttt." He said. "They're all stuffing their faces."

He took the cigarette out of his mouth as he walked towards her.

"Sorry, I scared you, I have a light step."

"I'll say, holy crap." She answered.

"Guess, we're the only two smokers in the gang."

She considered the value of being nice to him, she suspected he followed her. She was pretty sure he wasn't a threat or anything like that. She decided to mess with him a little to see if he had a sense of humor at all. He seemed so serious all day long, even when he had tried to talk to her earlier.

But she figured he was a nice kid under all of that awkwardness. Plus it looked like he was the only kindred smoking soul in this place.

He picked up a few rocks and threw them towards the lake one at a time skipping them along the water. She walked closer to him and he held his breath, she made him a little nervous so he didn't look at her and continued to skip the rocks.

"Did you follow me?" She said taking a drag of her own cigarette.

He nodded. "Shouldn't be walking around in the woods by yourself. It'll be getting dark soon."

"I can take care of myself." She said and she watched his lip quirk in a crooked smile. Then she remembered what Lori said earlier about the mole on his lip. Dammitt, now that was all she could see as he was talking to her.

She was going to get Lori for that.

"I'm sure you can." He said standing next to her trying desperately to channel Merle right now. WWMD that was going to be his mantra. What would Merle do, if he was alone in the woods with a pretty girl? Merle would flirt with her hard. "You look like a badass."

Carol smiled at him and he noticed she had blue eyes too just like him. Hers were bright and shiny and beautiful. Everything about her was just right, maybe he didn't bother with girls back home much, but he sure wanted to now.

"That's because I am." She replied and put her hands on her hips.

"Hey, I don't doubt it, but we smokers have to stick together ya know." He said feeling so lame. Merle would have his tongue down her throat by now. He felt like an idiot, this was where girls usually excused themselves from him sometimes nicely, sometimes not. He waited for her to either leave or tell him he was stupid. It wouldn't be the first time.

She wasn't looking at him funny at all though and she wasn't moving.

Then she spoke again and his heart leaped in his chest. She didn't think he was that much of an idiot if she was still standing there.

"Yeah we do." She held the can out to him. "Here, hide the evidence."

"I got two cartons of Newport in my cabin hidden." He said. "I'll be out here a lot, let's have one more before we go back."

He handed his pack to her and she took one and placed it between her lips. He was there with his zippo to light it before she even had her lighter out. Fucking Garrett never lit them for her. It was nice to be treated like a lady.

He put his cigarette out in the can and lit another one for himself.

"Thanks, Daryl," She said.

"Don't mind sharing. I aint gonna smoke all those."

"That would be great." She looked over at him. 'Thank you, really you don't have to."

"Want to ok." He grinned, shyly.

"Ok." She replied and they stood there smoking and looking at the lake, he skipped a few more stones and they talked about themselves a little bit. Daryl lived clear on the other side of the state from her and he had his own motorcycle. Carol told him she had her eye on a car like her mother's and she was saving up for it.

He had a brand new ford F250 at home waiting for him and a jeep. He was seventeen years old and owned two cars and a Harley outright. He wasn't going to tell her that though, for once he just wanted to be like everyone else.

Finally they had to go back, before Rick or another of his crew saw that they were gone and neither one wanted to go.

Carol found that she did enjoy his company, but she was not telling Lori that she was right. A girl had to have some secrets.

Daryl felt really good all of the sudden.

For the first time in his life he had a friend that was a girl.

Merle would shit if he knew about this.

/

Lori and Carol were in their cabin the first Saturday after they all arrived. It had been a long week, with a lot of kids and a lot of things to learn and do. It was exhausting and they fell into their beds every night and slept like the dead.

They had Saturday afternoons off.

They were painting their nails and the nails of the three little girls that were with them. Lizzie, Mika and Sophia, they had become Carol and Lori's shadows very quickly. The three girls were the kids that Carol and Lori were in charge of and they were adorable. All three of them laid on one of the beds drying their nails and toenails while Lori did her own.

Then she would do Carol's for the party that night.

Wherever Lori and Carol were, those three little girls were right behind them. They saw the teens painting their nails and right away asked for their nails to be done too. Lori and Carol didn't mind and most days they spent way more time with the kids then they were required to do.

There were all kinds of activities for them, most days Carol and Lori were at the lake. Gareth was a certified life guard so he was there too.

Carol was getting tan already as was Lori, the fresh air was doing them all a world of good.

"That boy always looks at you Lori." Mika said. "That Shane boy."

Lori laughed. "I know."

The three little girls giggled and then they looked at Carol.

"What?" She said and Lori grabbed her foot and started painting her toenails. "Can you do mine next Lor?"

Carol said as she watched Lori bend her leg in a pretzel practically painting her toes. That girl had the longest legs Carol had ever seen. She had seen Shane looking at her legs all week, these kids were smart.

"We saw you smoking by the lake with Mr. Daryl yesterday."

Lori's eyes almost bugged out of her head at that news and she sat up on the bed. She had been busy with Shane and hadn't gotten that memo.

"Ok girls." Lori stood up. "Let's go find Miss Tara or Miss. Maggie to take you to ceramics, it's almost time."

Lori led them to the door as she looked back at Carol and mouthed. 'You better spill your guts right now'. She found Tara outside and brought the girls to her. Tara would walk them up to the main building where all the indoor activities were. Then Lori headed back into the cabin to get the four one one on this new development.

"What's this now?" She said throwing herself onto the bed next to Carol.

"Nothing." Carol said shrugging. "We both smoke."

"Sure." Lori said making and ok sign with her fingers. "I'm sure that's what you 'all are doing by the lake."

"It's true." Carol said and started to paint her own toe nails. They were due in the main cabin in the big dining room for a get to know you party that night and they were running out of time. They had some things to do for the party and their nails weren't going to do themselves.

"That's fine, don't tell me." Lori rolled her eyes. "I'll get Shane to tell me."

"There's nothing to tell and Shane won't have any information for you either."

"Not yet anyway." Lori knocked her shoulder. "Tonight's going to be fun and I'm sure you'll be sneaking out to go smoke." She air quoted smoke as she spoke. "With Daryl."


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: Magenta sent me a picture and so I had to write it into this chapter. And Thanks for that xoxoxox I love you._**

 ** _Let me know what you all think._**

The party was for the kids and the counselors and it started at six, Tara and Rick were up on the stage with the karaoke machine already when Lori and Carol walked in at six fifteen. Some of the kids were singing to themselves below the stage and Carol just knew this was trouble.

She did not sing and someone was going to make her do it. She felt it in her gut.

The dining room was decorated with balloons and streamers and glittery things all over the place. There were little kids everywhere it seemed.

The girls were dressed casual in jeans and t-shirts, some in shorts which would be their attire for the whole summer. Except Carol had on black Doc Martin boots instead of sneakers like Lori did.

The older group, the minions were dressed up a little more than the younger counselors except the four boys, Shane, Daryl, Zack and Gareth.

The boys had button down shirts on and Daryl's was a little too big, he also had on a tie that was loose around his neck. Carol thought he looked adorable, and she let out a sigh. She didn't want this to happen, but it was.

It was happening weather she liked it or not.

He had the sleeves rolled up and Carol could see the tattoo on his bicep, which she didn't know he had. It made her wonder if he had any other tattoos.

Shane, Gareth and Zack had on shirts similar to Daryl's too, but Carol noticed him specifically. She stood there across the room watching him haul around bags of ice as Lori walked up behind her as she stood by a craft table.

"Nice view huh?" Lori said.

Carol nodded. "They clean up good don't they?"

The tables were set up with paper tablecloths and places for the kids to play games and do crafts and a few of the other girls were sitting with them and helping. They weren't too late at least. She saw Lisa and Kelsey at one of the tables and Kelsey looked up at her with an evil look. She had heard what Carol and Lori were talking about.

"What the hell is her problem?" Carol said. "She's been giving me that look all week."

"I dunno, she's just a bitch I guess."

"Wonderful." Carol said, thinking about her interactions with that girl. She didn't do a thing to her, yet Kelsey seemed to have such contempt for her. It was clear in the way she looked at Carol and acted around her.

"She's jealous or something fuck her." Lori said and led Carol across the room away from Kelsey's table.

Rick and Tara were singing 'Dancing in the Moonlight' up on the stage and very out of key. Both held a microphone that was hooked up to the karaoke machine.

Daryl, Shane, Zack and Gareth were already behind the counters that were set up. They were getting food ready and pouring drinks for the kids who were milling around.

Carol and Lori walked across the room looking around at everything. This was one hell of a party already between the music and the smell of the food the girls were in an instant good mood.

They glanced up at Tara and Rick and Lori crinkled her nose. Those two were crucifying that song, but Lori couldn't help singing along anyway as they walked over towards the food and drink tables.

"What? Aint ya gonna sing." Shane called over to her, yeah Carol thought, there was something going on with those two.

"Yeah we are." She said pointing to Carol. "Both of us."

"Oh no you don't." Carol started to say, but Lori was already pulling her over to the table where the boys were and they each picked up a drink.

"Oh, come on Carol, I'll pick us a good song." Lori said to her as she sipped a sprite from a Styrofoam cup.

Carol looked over at Daryl and he was snickering. He was also noticing that she had her hair down tonight and held back with a big hair barrette, making it cascade down her back like a waterfall. A blue tank top and a pair of faded jeans with a whole in the thigh.

Not one part of her got by him these days. She was his favorite daydream now and sometimes he dreamed of her at night too.

It was just a pair of jeans but holy shit.

He had noticed all of that as soon as she came in and was dizzy within two minutes of getting a whiff of her perfume. Coconuts, she smelled like coconuts, god damn.

"What's so funny, I wanna see your ass up there singing." She said to him as she pointed at him jokingly.

"Nah, not my thing." He replied pouring drinks into cups and lining them up on the table.

"What, too cool Dixon?" She said reaching for his tie and tugging on it lightly.

He nodded. "Pretty much."

She gave him a crooked smile. "I figured."

Then she bit her lower lip and he almost dropped the bottle of soda he was holding. Jesus. That was the hottest thing he had ever seen and it stirred up a mass of butterflies in his stomach. It was an entirely new feeling to him and as he stood up straighter he almost lost his balance.

Shane walked by and whispered "Smooth man." to him and continued on his way into the kitchen behind them.

Lori and Carol were already walking away, not having noticed him faltering behind the table and Carol called over her shoulder. "See you later Daryl."

Lori grabbed her arm. "Come-on let's get on the list."

She led Carol over to the sign up table, where they chose a song to sing for a duet from hell, in Carol's opinion.

Then they busied themselves with helping the kids with games and projects for a while sitting down at the table as people took their turn at the karaoke. She was going to kill Lori for making her do that song.

Lori had picked a doozy of course.

While Carol and Lori were doing crafts with the kids Maggie and Glenn were up there singing 'Animal' by Def Leppard and they were actually pretty good. Daryl and Shane were busy handing out drinks and pizza to the kids and anyone else who wanted it.

Soon after that Andrea and Michonne were up there singing 'Come as you are' by Nirvana and Carol was smiling and bopping her head to that song. She like Nirvana a lot.

Daryl watched her from across the room as much as he could, still trying to not let anyone notice. The way she bopped her head to the music and put the pencil up to her lips as she was helping the kids had him all distracted.

Gareth slapped him on the back lightly. "Come on man, back to work."

Before Carol knew it an hour and a half had passed, she needed a break and a smoke.

She looked back at the table where Shane and Daryl were and Daryl moved his fingers in front of his mouth in the cigarette motion and she put up one finger meaning wait a minute. She turned to Lori and said she was going outside for a second.

Lori called after her. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." And Carol ignored her.

Daryl nodded to her as she started to leave her area and excused himself from Shane. Shane looked over at Lori and laughed, pointing to their two friends and raising his eyebrows at her.

Daryl grabbed a cup of soda and went towards the door, putting on his 40's style hat as he walked out. Carol was behind him by a few minutes.

/

Daryl could hear the music in the back ground and he sang it to himself as he lit his cigarette and blew the smoke out. Maggie and Glenn were going for round two with this song. They were obviously singing it to each other, whatever he didn't mind Def Leppard much. He stood leaning against a tree out away from the lodge singing softly to himself.

 ** _A wild ride, over stony ground._**

 ** _Such a lust for life, the circus comes to town._**

 ** _We are the hungry ones, on a lighting raid._**

 ** _Just like a river runs, like a fire needs flame._**

 ** _Oh I burn for you._**

 ** _I gotta feel it in my blood. Whoa_**

Carol was walking over to him and listening to him sing softly on the other side of the tree. She could hear the music coming from the lodge and she sang along as she walked too.

She whispered softly "I need your touch don't need your love, whoa." As she walked towards him.

She was there in minutes, right beside him, but he didn't see her. He heard her though, his hunter's instincts could hear someone hundreds of feet away.

"So you do sing." He spun around and she was standing there holding her hand out for a cigarette, he handed one to her and lit it for her.

"Don't tell anyone M'kay." He said.

She nodded. "Your secrets safe with me."

"Good, cause I wouldn't want to have to cut you off." He said waving the cigarette at her and then he smiled a smile that went right up to his eyes.

He had a great smile, she couldn't help thinking to herself, and of course the mole. Which, thanks to Lori, her eyes always went to now when she looked at him. Plus the way he was dressed, he just looked good.

"Very funny." She laughed. "I like the hat."

He smiled, looking down at the ground and then back up at her in a way that made her realize, she wasn't as anti- boy as she thought. He wasn't like other boys she had met, not like Garrett. He was sweet and a little shy.

"You hanging out after the kids go back with Maggie and Tara?" He asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

She nodded taking a drag from her cigarette. "Lori wants to, so I told her ok."

"Me too, we got to clean up anyway, those kids plow through everything in their path." He said changing the subject smoothly. He felt like he just asked her on a date and his palms were suddenly sweaty.

She nodded. "But they're so cute." She took a drag of her cigarette and they both turned towards the lodge to make sure no one was coming. He held out the cup for her to put her cigarette into when she was done and dumped his own into it.

"They're alright." He said.

"We better get going." She said and they both started walking back away from the tree that almost hid them.

They had found a lot of good hiding places to smoke that first week, this being one of them. The tree was so big that no one could see them if they stood behind it.

They met a few times a day to smoke together and were becoming good friends. They talked during these brief intervals and were getting to know each other a little bit. Carol confessed that she hadn't wanted to come here, but was glad she did.

Daryl told her he was glad to be here from the start, but there were some things he didn't tell her, he hoped to god it didn't come back to bite him in the ass.

It was good to have a friend who liked him for himself and not the money. They shared a love of the same type of music and books and they always had a lot to talk about.

They both teetered on the edge of what else this could grow to be, but neither one was willing to put themselves out there, each for their own reasons.

It was right there, but neither of them would take the step towards the other.

They were careful not to disappear for too long and they walked back together. If Rick or one of the minion's came looking they would be screwed.

As they came back in the door Lori was waiting because it was their turn on stage. Carol rolled her eyes at Daryl behind Lori's back.

"Have fun." He said waving at her and she made a face at him as Lori took her by the arm.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Ok I had horrible formatting issues with this I hope it works this time, third time is the charm right? Thank you to everyone who reads and lets me know what they think of my stories.**_

 _ **I truly love you all xxxxxxx**_

Lori dragged Carol up on the stage as Daryl took his place behind the drink table next to Shaneand Gareth. The three of them watched as Lori and Carol started

singing 'Criminal' By Fiona Apple.

I've been a bad bad girl.

I've been careless with a delicate man.

And it's a sad sad world

When a girl will break a boy just because she can.

Zack walked over to the other three boys as they watched Lori and Carol. Daryl and Shane stood next to each other with their arms crossed over their waists. They

couldn't take their eyes off of those two girls.

"Never heard that song before." Zack remarked and Gareth turned to him. "Who sings it?"

"Fiona Apple." Gareth answered.

"It's out of control." Shane said smiling, he had already staked a claim on Lori earlier in the week.

Most people already knew all about that, so no one was saying shit about her up there on the stage. There was no such claim on Carol, not yet anyway.

"That red head is fucking hot." Gareth said as they all watched Carol and Lori moving together on the stage in synch with the song. Daryl thought Gareth should put

his eyes back in his head and suddenly there were three cups of coke spilled on the table and onto his white converse sneakers.

"Jesus Dixon, watch what the fuck you're doing." He said backing away from the table, his shoes

soaked and ruined.

"Sorry man, didn't see it." He said as Shane rolled his eyes behind him. That wasn't too obvious, Shane laughed as Gareth walked out of the lodge to go get dry

shoes.

\\#######

The bottle landed on Carol and Lori laughed a huge belly laugh. Didn't that just figure, she had been aiming for Shane of course, who was right next to Carol, but she

over shot it.

They were all sitting in a circle on the floor playing spin the bottle after the party was over. The older counselors had taken all the kids back to the cabins and left the

younger counselors to clean up. Rick and a few of his crew would be coming back when the littler ones were settled.

They had immediately set up a boom box and were presently listening to "Man in the Box" By Alice in Chains. There were a few CD's in a pile on the ground next to

the radio. Nirvana, Jane's Addiction, Pearl Jam, Phish. Smashing Pumpkins and a few others. If there weren't any little campers around they were allowed to play

music as they worked, on Milton's boom box.

Shane, Daryl, Amy, Lori, Carol, Zack and Gareth were all there. There were a few other kids that were counselors too in the circle, people that arrived after they did

and were essentially nameless at this point and in their own group.

They had bowls of snacks and drinks of soda on the floor next to each of them and most of them sat Indian style on the floor. Nobody wanted to play at first when

Sylvia suggested it, some of them even laughed, but now they were all on the floor weren't they. Yes they all were.

Gareth was staring at Carol and he had been since he came back with a dry pair of converse.

Daryl was staring at him. There was going to be a problem tonight, Daryl could just feel it. He and Gareth were not on the same page at all.

They had done a couple of rounds and Zack and Amy already had kissed and so did Gareth and the girl named Sylvia.

Quick little kisses because they didn't know each other all that well yet. Gareth was waiting till the bottle he spun landed on Carol, because he was going for it.

He had been one of the first people to agree to this madness.

They had finished cleaning up pretty quick and then Sylvia came out with the soda bottle and here they were. Some, like Gareth were plotting a strategy and some

like Daryl, and Carol were trying to be invisible.

And now Lori had to kiss Carol. They had all of the boy's attention at that moment and you could have heard a pin drop.

"Whoa, Lor." Shane said and then his eyes bugged out when Lori grabbed Carol by the face and kissed her right on the lips.

There was cheering all around over that kiss and they were both red faced as Shane said "Get it."

Boys were so immature Lori thought to herself. They all laughed again anyway and Lori smacked Shane's arm.

"You are such a perv." Lori said to him in a way that hinted that she didn't mind that about him at all. "Ok Carol's turn."

Lori pushed the bottle towards her friend and cabin mate for the summer. Carol was not about this game at all, but she had to play along. If she didn't Kelsey was

sure to say she was gay or something. That girl had a stick up her ass about Carol since day one. Every day she called her a soulless ginger and tried to trip her or do

something else to her.

She was nasty for no good reason and by the end of the summer it was sure to come to a head.

Lori already wanted to kick her ass and it had been just a week.

Carol had no choice but to play, and she wanted crawl away and hide right now. The last thing she wanted to do was touch that bottle.

She blew her bangs out of her face and took the bottle.

She spined it and it land on Daryl, it could have been worse, she supposed. Behind her Kelsey was fuming, Lori noticed the look on the other girl's face and made note

of it. She was going down by the end of the week. She was being mean to Carol over a boy? Oh hell no.

Daryl looked like he was going to die right there and he didn't even see what Kelsey was doing.

No one saw her, as she leaned over and had her hand on Carol's hair so that when she moved, it was accidently, on purpose pulled.

"Oh." She smiled an evil smile just for Carol. "Sorry Carol."

Lori turned and shot her a look that told Kelsey she was going to answer to her, and soon.

Carol just pulled her hair back and didn't say anything, she didn't want a scene. Her eyes were on Daryl now, and they were both afraid of what was going to happen

next.

"Come on." Shane said. "Let's go you two."

Daryl shot Shane a look of total contempt, he was so embarrassed right now. This game was a horrible idea and it was for little kids. They were seventeen for God's

sake, he didn't need a bottle to kiss a girl. Not that much of that had been going on in his life before this.

But still, if he wanted to kiss her he would just kiss her. He didn't need this dumb game.

His face flushed crimson as he sucked in a breath and almost got up and left.

But then he looked sideways and saw the shitty look Gareth had on his face and it pissed him off.

Who the fuck did that asshole think he was?

He was looking at him like he was a piece of shit under his foot, like he wasn't worthy of her.

Then Gareth narrowed his eyes at him, as if he was giving Daryl a warning.

Challenge accepted asshole. Bring it.

They stared each other down for a few seconds. Gareth smiled a truly disturbing smile at him.

Fuck that guy, he wasn't going to get near her, with his snotty attitude and creepy smile. No fucking way.

Carol smiled slowly and nervously at him and looked up at him through her eyelashes, like a dream come true. Then she ran her teeth over her bottom lip like she had

done before, she wanted him to do it. She nodded her head just once so he knew it was ok.

That was it, all the encouragement he needed, Daryl leaned over and his lips met hers softly. He brought his hand up to the back of her head and held her there. Their

lips separated, but he was still holding her and then he kissed her again, this time running his tongue along the seam of her lips till she opened her mouth.

He was totally going on instinct now because he hadn't kissed a lot of girls at all.

He slid his tongue against hers and she felt her whole body heat up and then it was over too soon.

He let go of her head and spinned the bottle himself and it landed on her this time.

There was a bunch of eye rolling as he kissed her again. This time he knew what to do, effectively curing her toes and it lasted until Gareth moaned. "Get a room."

Mission accomplished, Daryl smirked to himself as the bottle got spinned by Amy this time since Carol already had two kisses, one from Lori and one from Daryl. It got

passed to the next person, which was Amy.

Daryl sat back and crossed his legs in front of him and watched a few rounds with Carol next to him. His hand was so close to hers that he could touch it. He wanted

to but not here. Then he stood up and shoved his red bandana into his back pocket.

"Going for a smoke."

"Well, I guess so." Zack said and Daryl tapped his leg with foot.

"Fuck off Zack." Then Daryl looked down at Carol. "You coming?"

He held out his hand and she took it as he pulled her to her feet. She almost landed in his arms when he pulled her towards him a little too rough. He hadn't meant it

but now she was practically in his arms.

This did not go unnoticed by the group and Gareth and Kelsey in particular.

They attempted to walk outside keeping their dignity intact and it was barely successful. He lit two cigarettes at once and handed one to her.

"Stupid fucking game." He mumbled as they got outside and took a drag of his cigarette. "We're seventeen for chrissake."

"Oh, so you're sorry." [i]She said before she could think about it. She was a little offended now by what he had just said. It had been a pretty good kiss she thought.

He turned to look at her as they walked along the side of the lodge smoking their cigarettes. He pushed his hair out of his face so he could look at her.

"No, just not the way I thought about it ok?"

She stopped short. "What?" He thought about it?

WWMD? What would Merle do? Time to nut up, Merle would say. He just decided to say it.

What could happen now, she already had kissed him back anyway.

"I don't wanna kiss you in front of all those losers." He said. "In some stupid game."

She leaned against the side of the building. "No?"

"No."

She reached for his hand and as he walked closer to her, she wound her other hand around his tie.

One of his hands went up over her head and against the wall as he leaned closer to her.

"You want a real kiss?" He said moving closer to her and getting all in her personal space, which was a first for him to say the least. She smiled because she wanted

him there.

He had no idea where this spurt of bravery was coming from, he just knew he didn't want that dick Gareth going near her.

He wanted her for himself.

His hand slipped down to her waist and he looked up at her. His eyes clear and blue, his hair hanging down in his face again.

This time he kissed her for longer than two seconds.

Let me know what you think :)


	6. Chapter 6

Daryl walked down the path to the lake and he was soon joined by Shane and Zack. He was trying to get away from them for a minute but it didn't look like that was happening. He liked them alright but three weeks of their endless talk was working his nerves just a little bit.

All they talked about were girls and sex and occasionally food. It was annoying and he wasn't interested in talking to them about anything but the food. And the food there was horrible.

He would have much rather be with Carol right now but she was working and so was he. They spent a lot of time together now and not just smoke breaks.

It was Fourth of July Rick was having a big fireworks show that night and they had to clean up the beach and lake area. There had been rain the night before and there were tree branches down and a few overturned garbage pails.

The boys always got the outdoor clean ups and the girls got the indoor clean up.

It might not be fair to feminism, but Rick Grimes didn't give a shit about that. He was a little sexist, maybe a lot and he just didn't care.

He made the duty roster as he saw fit, they all had jobs to do. It was not a democracy around there it was, as Shane called it a Ricktatorship. They joked about it of course and even called him the Ricktator to his face.

He did know how to run the camp though, there was no question about that. He was a good leader.

The girls were busy corralling the kids up at the lodge to keep them out of the way so the boys could clean up without having to chase them around.

Daryl lit a cigarette and blew the smoke out of the side of his mouth as he walked towards the crystal blue lake he was coming to love so much.

The beauty of the lake was one thing, but it was also about a girl. Merle was right it was always about a girl.

"You should quit, you know it's getting expensive. They'll be ten dollars a pack before you know it." Zack said as he came up behind Daryl.

"He don't need to worry about that…" Daryl elbowed Shane, before he could finish his sentence.

"Hey don't talk about that." He said to Shane, but Shane was going to spill the beans, he knew it as sure as they were standing there.

Shane had kept his secret for all of three weeks. He guessed he should be happy it lasted that long. He was going to have to tell her, as much as he didn't want to.

"Dixon Race and Motor?" Shane said and Zack stopped short. He stood there looking dumbfounded. "His brother is Merle Dixon."

"That's you?"

"Was my father. And my brother." Daryl said, looking back at him. "Not me."

"Yeah but you got the money don't you?"

"I got money alright. Like it matters at all."

Shane stopped short in the middle of the path.

"It's more than got money, Daryl you belong to one of the oldest race families in Georgia, why are you working here for the summer? During Race season?" Shane asked.

"Cause I want a life besides racing and working on cars in the pits. My brother oversees everything, he don't need me."

"But..." Zack started to say something. "You don't even need to work do you?"

"Just wanted to get away from it all, be in the woods. Now let's drop it ok?" He threw his cigarette down and stomped on it and then picked it up to get rid of later. He was not polluting the woods, no way. Daryl was very environmentally conscious and he thought that was what he wanted to study in college. As it was he was incredibly pissed about all the Styrofoam they used here.

He wasn't littering.

Carol had told him she wanted to be a nurse one day. He could see it, but he could also see her surrounded by children. Theirs. She wouldn't ever have to work if she was with him.

"Watch out for ticks. " Zack said, pulling him out of his thoughts.

He ignored Zack and turned to walk away.

"Hey Daryl." Shane said. "She know yet?"

"No and I want it to stay that way." H said as he walked down the path to the lake. "So zip it, both of you."

He said that even then knowing he was going to have to tell her sooner rather than later.

Shane turned to Zack as Daryl walked away from them. "He's worth like a couple of million easy, and he's walking around in those shit work boots."

"Carol has to be the only girl in Georgia who doesn't watch NASCAR or know who Merle Dixon is."

/

Carol worked in the kitchen next to Tara and Andrea washing the dishes from breakfast. Because of a computer glitch twice as many kids then they had originally expected had come to camp and there were now three older adults from the management corporation that ran the camp helping out. One of them was a douchy guy named Phillip. Carol saw him staring at Michonne while she bussed tables with them and she knew there would be trouble if Rick saw.

The other guy was named Ed and he gave Carol the creeps, his wife Jenny was the other in this wacko threesome. Carol was planning on keeping her head down and staying away from all of them.

They didn't do dishes though, they were in their offices, their air conditioned offices. This building was the only one with air conditioning. There were rooms there for the suits that were there now. They had air conditioning and private baths. Not so for the campers and counselors, however Carol was just so grateful they had running water and that they all could shower.

Andrea and Tara were deep in conversation about Andrea's job back home. Tara was going to nursing school and they were both reveling Carol with stories of hard classes and lack of social life. Carol was sure she would prefer nursing to paramedic. She had no idea how Andrea was able to function under the stress of that job.

Andrea loved it and Carol spent a lot of time with Tara and her, listening to their stories.

Today they were telling her about the effects of the full moon on a city emergency room. Carol was laughing with them and shaking her head at their stories.

"Andrea, you really don't have to look up at the sky to know it's a full moon huh?" Tara asked.

"Nope. That is one hundred percent accurate. Don't worry Carol, its fun."

"I can handle it." She said smiling. "Not much scares me."

"Good to know." Andrea said. "When you two finish school come work at Grady with me, I can get you both interviews."

Carol smiled. It seemed so far away. She had another year of school and then college. She was becoming fond of Daryl in an incredibly different way. This wasn't what she was used to and it unnerved her a little bit.

In the last few weeks they had spent a good deal of time together, talking about everything and doing a lot of kissing.

When she was with Garrett she always felt tense and on edge. She didn't feel like that with Daryl, She felt relaxed and happy.

It was so easy with him, where it had never been easy with Garrett.

"I'm going to go dump this water." Carol said and she took a pot of water outside. As she was dumping it in a larger can she saw Gareth leaning against the building. She put the pot on her hip and looked over at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be down at the lake?"

He pushed off the building with his foot and walked over to her.

"Maybe." He said looking her over in a way that made her want to go take another shower.

He was creeping her out big time by the way he was looking at her. She wanted to back away but then she would be against the building and she didn't want that.

"Why are you with him?" He said leering over at her.

"Because I like him, not that it's any of your business."

Gareth smiled that evil grin that had become his signature. She did not like guys whose first names that started with a G.

She started to just walk away, it was the best option for her.

"He's lying to you."

She stopped but didn't turn around. She wanted to, she wanted to turn around and ask Gareth what he was talking about. But she already knew, of course she knew.

Daryl had a girl back home.

/

Daryl stood at the base of the lake and looked out at the water, he had been here for three weeks and he finally felt free. The burden of being from the family that he was from had lifted off his shoulders. He was Daryl, just himself for a change and not Merle's little brother and Jacob's son.

As long as those two assholes kept it to themselves.

He kissed a girl, one that he really liked and it was turning out to be a great summer. He didn't want anything to ruin it.

The girls at home all knew about the money and they were not shy about expecting things from him. Carol had no clue and he wanted to keep it that way as long as possible.

He knew that likely she would find out eventually. He just hoped she wouldn't be mad over him keeping a secret. He would have to tell her soon, he knew that. Those two spilling the beans to her would be a disaster.

He decided to tell her soon but he had no idea how to.

He had just put his cigarette into a cup of water and put it in the garbage, when none other than the man himself, Rick Grimes walked up to him.

"Hey Daryl, can I talk to you for a minute?" H asked and Daryl turned to him and exhaled the last of his smoke. Rick pretended not to see and just continued talking to him.

"Been thinking you might want to teach Archery? To the boys?" He said and Daryl was intrigued by this idea since he hadn't been able to get out to hunt at all and Rick still had his crossbow under lock and key.

It felt good to be singled out for something other than racing, not that he could teach that here. That couldn't be taught anyway, racing was in your blood and passed down from generation to generation.

He was definitely going to do this, and with a smile on his face.

"Sure, when." He replied.

"Saturdays at eleven, does that work for you?"

Daryl nodded and thanked him and he and Rick stood there for a long time talking about the classes and what Daryl knew about archery, which was everything and what Rick knew which was nothing. Rick seamed to respect his opinion on how to run the archery program and for once Daryl didn't feel like someone was bullshitting him or treating him differently because of Merle or his Dad.

After Rick left Daryl stood there at the lake looking at the water. He heard someone coming and it wasn't Shane or Zack. They were on the other side of the beach cleaning up logs, he could see them from where he stood. Carol was with Lori helping to clean up from breakfast. He knew it wasn't her anyway, he knew what her walk and footsteps sounded like.

He also knew how he felt when he could hear her coming. There was none of that anticipation or excitement right now. He wasn't short of breath like usual when she was nearby.

He turned around and came face to face with Kelsey Jamison. That explained it. This girl was way too pushy for her own good and she got all in his space in a most uncomfortable way.

"Hey Daryl." She said coming too close to him, he felt invaded and he didn't like it. The only girl he wanted this close was Carol.

"Kelsey? Aren't you supposed to be up at the lodge?"

She nodded. "I'm kind of a rule breaker, like you."

He didn't know what she was talking about. "What?"

"I know who you are, who your brother is." She said. "I bet you're just like him."

He lit a cigarette and backed up from her, he didn't want to be having this conversation and he didn't want to be here right now. She just stepped closer to him.

"That's fine Kelsey, I need to get to work and so do you." He said trying to back away from her again.

"Why are you bothering with that dumb ginger, huh?" She asked and now he knew. She was one of those kinds of girls. The kind that would talk smack about another girl or throw her under the bus. She was a sneak, he was sure of that.

He would bet any amount of money that he knew exactly why she was here.

The money, it always came back to the money.

"Cause I like her, if you're down here to talk shit about her, just go right on back up there ok?" He said.

She looked at him and tilted her head in an attempt to flirt with him. "Daryl I didn't…mean…" She twirled her hair around her finger, as if he was stupid enough to fall for that.

"Yeah ya did, be nice Kelsey, the things you said, you aren't nice and it's unattractive." He said. "I got work to do."

"But." She tried to follow him as he turned to leave.

"Look, I'm trying to be nice too ok, go back to the lodge." He stopped and glared at her.

Then he walked away and over towards Shane and Zack. He was sure she was shooting daggers at him right now but he didn't give a shit. He really didn't need this nonsense in his life.

He was coming up with a plan in his head now and he was going to have to take Shane up on an offer he made to him. He didn't like it but he needed to do this.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Thank you for reading and let me know what you think xxxxxxx**_

Lori came around the corner from emptying the garbage a few minutes later and saw Carol leaning up against the wall in the hall before the dining room. Carol had come in the back door of the kitchen after seeing Gareth and walked right out into the hall way.

She wanted to put as much distance between her and him and she couldn't be around people right now.

"Hey, Andrea is looking for you." Lori said and then she noticed that Carol was crying. And she was beside her friend in moments.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Lori reached to Carol's face and pushed her hair out of the way so she could see her, she was crying for sure.

"Did Kelsey do something?" Lori said. "I'm about done with her shit."

Carol shook her head vigorously from side to side. It wasn't Kelsey, not this time.

"No, she didn't." Carol tried to compose herself and speak without sniffling. "It's stupid really, of course he has a girlfriend."

"Who? Daryl?" She said. "No way, no fucking way Carol."

Carol looked up at her and wiped her face on the apron she was wearing. She couldn't understand how Lori could be so sure.

"You don't see the way he looks at you, like you are the only girl on the planet. You can't fake that." Lori said. "Come on let's get you some air and you can tell me what happened."

"What about Andrea?" Carol asked.

"She can wait five minutes, come on."

She took her hand and led her out onto the porch and they sat down on the steps. Carol put her head between her knees and Lori rubbed her back.

"What makes you think that he has a girlfriend?" Lori asked after a few minutes.

Carol raised her head up and looked over at Lori. "Gareth said he's lying to me."

"And you believed that creep." Lori said. "He is a douchebag and I wouldn't believe a thing he says."

"But Lori you don't know my luck, my boyfriend of two years, two fucking years cheated on me, at a party that I was at with him." Carol said, her voice getting strained and low.

Lori just let her talk and then she was going to give her opinion if Carol wanted it.

"I walked into the bed room to get my coat to go have a cigarette and there they were. He didn't even say he was sorry and I had to walk home."

"But Daryl isn't that guy, I told you, I've seen the way he looks at you. It's like he can't believe you're real." Lori said. "It's sweet, really sweet."

She smiled at Carol and looked over at her. No one ever looked at her that way, certainly not Garrett. She hadn't noticed although she knew Daryl was very affectionate with her and was always touching her.

"I think Gareth has an agenda and I think you should just ask Daryl, but I'm telling you Shane would have told me."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Shane and I are very honest with each other, we talk about everything, did you know he's been here the last two summers?" Lori said.

Carol shook her head and Lori nodded her head.

"He has and he knows how to have the best time possible here we have it all worked out. This is going to be a great summer. You need to talk to Daryl and not listen to anyone else. Don't you think?"

Carol nodded and Lori rubbed her back again.

"Do you feel better?" Lori asked. "Even just a little."

"Yes, I do." Carol said. "But what do I do, just come out and say do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I would." Lori said. "Hey, let's go finish our work and get out of here. We have to get ready for tonight, ok?"

"Ok." Carol said standing up. "Thanks Lori."

She hugged her and they went back inside to finish the dishes. They had a shit ton of stuff to do. It was Fourth of July weekend. A big deal here and everyone was on edge.

/

Carol stood watching the fireworks with Lori and Shane by the lake that night at dusk. She was feeling better now, but every so often she found herself still wondering. She needed to ask him, but he was nowhere to be found all day.

She was a little pissed actually.

Everyone was on the beach, all the kids, all the counselors and even some people that came down to visit from the management company that ran the camp.

The horrible trio of Phillip, Ed and Jenny were there, standing right up front with their bosses acting like they ran the show here. In reality Rick and his minions and the counselors ran it all, they just took the credit. That was the way it had always worked and that was the way it always would.

It was a warm and muggy Georgia night, typical for where they were and Carol was already sweating, unless it was from stress. She waited for him to make an appearance with a nervous heart.

It was a full house alright tonight, he picked a good night for this. His timing was always so fucked up and this was no different. He hoped he could pull this off without getting everyone in trouble. He had to tell her now, before someone beat him to it.

Daryl walked down the path that led to the beach looking for Carol and Lori. He spotted Shane and figured Lori wouldn't be too far behind and she would know where Carol was.

Turned out, Lori was right next to Shane and Carol was right next to her. That was good luck and he would need all the luck he could get tonight.

Daryl walked up behind her quietly, he could sneak up on her. But she was never successful sneaking up on him because he always heard her coming.

She felt his hand touch her back and his breath on the back of her neck before she even saw him. He ran his fingers under the shirt she wore and along her back.

He always wanted to touch her and she craved his touch now. She tried not to think about what Gareth had said and made up her mind to ask him tonight.

Then it would be over, but right now it wasn't over and she let him touch her. Maybe he wasn't lying, that was always a thin possibility and they could keep seeing each other.

His fingers tickled her back and then he rubbed them along her skin like he had been doing it all their lives.

It sent chills right up her spine and although she said she wasn't going to do this. It was obvious that it was out of her control, she couldn't resist him.

And she didn't want to now. It had been two weeks since he kissed her the first time and since then, they had done a lot more kissing.

She hoped Gareth was just giving her a hard time, she was in deep already in this thing with Daryl. She didn't want to end it.

Daryl was taking her hand and holding his other hand up to his mouth in a shhhhhhh motion to her and Lori. Shane turned just as he was leading Carol away from them and put his arm around Lori.

Daryl and Carol walked down the path towards the boathouse hand in hand.

"Where we going?" She asked giggling in the darkness.

"You'll see." He led her up the stairs to the building that was always locked, except for tonight, because he had unlocked it that afternoon. Shane had told him that trick, because Shane was here last summer. "It's a surprise."

Shane was on his third summer here as a counselor and he knew all the tricks. He had a new girl every summer and this summer it was Lori. They had already decided that come Aug 25th when they all went home it would be over.

Nice and neat, just like they both liked it. Carol couldn't be like that and she kind of admired Lori's ability to hold back her heart.

She was holding her heart in her hands, wanting to give it to him and terrified he would just break it like Garrett did. It was stupid really, he lived too far away and possibly had a girlfriend.

They were inside in a minute careful not to make noise, even though the fireworks were going outside and likely no one would hear.

Still, they couldn't get caught, it would be mortifying and there would be consequences. They weren't thinking about any of that though, not right now. He wasted no time backing her up against the wall and kissing her as soon as they were inside.

Gone were all his insecurities that he brought here with him. This girl took all of that away and that's why he owed her the truth.

"Been wanting to do that all day." He said when he finally let her up for air. "I just wanted a few minutes alone with you."

She pulled him closer, resting her hands on his hips. "Good idea."

He kissed her again running his hands over her sides and looked at her in the darkness. She was every good thing he had ever dared to wish for.

It was now or never. He needed to come clean with her about everything. He liked her too much now to risk her finding out from someone else.

"I have to tell you something though." He said pulling apart from her a little and she looked at him, he looked so serious. She was suddenly very concerned and her heart sped up. Was this when he told her he had a girlfriend back home? "Before this goes any further."

"Ok." She said tentatively releasing his hips and folding her arms across her waist. She was guarded now hoping that he wasn't going to say it. But if he did, she would make it her business to find this girl and tell her exactly what he had done. Now he was hesitating but she wasn't letting him off the hook now.

He fidgeted and put his hands over her head and then he moved them back to her waist. Then her ran them through his hair and looked down at his feet.

The answer wasn't down there.

"Just say it already Daryl."

She never wanted another girl to cry over being cheated on and he was right, this hadn't gotten out of hand just yet. They had only talked a lot and kissed a few times, they hadn't gone any further. But they both wanted to.

"Did you ever hear of Dixon Race and Motorsports?" He asked her.

She shook her head, this was bullshit, and now what was he talking about?

"Do you have a girlfriend or what?" She blurted out.

He looked at her like he didn't understand what she was asking.

"What?" He shook his head. "Wait a minute, no, I don't." His eyes grew soft as he looked at her. " I mean, I thought you were my girlfriend? What are you talking about?"

"What did you want to tell me?" She said not hiding her annoyance now.

"About my family, my brother drives race cars and my Dad did before he died."

She leaned back against the wall and it creaked a little from her weight. She wasn't expecting this at all, she had been ready to lay into him and now she was just confused.

Gareth wasn't wrong, he had been hiding something. Still, she would hear him out it wasn't another girl at least.

"That's why I'm not worried about seeing you, I can afford to fly to see you every weekend if that was possible. My truck is brand new….we drive for a living in my house…"

She grabbed him by his belt loops and pulled him against her. He let out a breath as she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him again.

"I really thought you were going to say you had a girl back home." She smiled against his lips.

He shook his head. There was no girl back home, not one that he would want to hang out with. His brother's groupies were all skanks that hung out at the race tracks. The girls that were interested in him, well, he knew why they were interested and it was so off putting.

What could he give them? That's what they all wanted to know. They wanted the money, not him. Carol didn't know and that's how he knew she wanted him because of who he was. Not because of what he could buy her.

"There's no girl except you." He said putting his forehead against hers and smiled. "But there's a ton of shit that comes with my family, and I wanted to warn you."

"I've seen your brother's picture in the paper." She shook her head. "I can't believe I didn't make the connection. Is it like Days of Thunder?" She laughed and he rolled his eyes.

She was adorable sometimes and he was crazy about her already.

"I hope this isn't a deal breaker for you, I promise I didn't mean to not tell you. I just was enjoying someone not knowing, you know?"

She nodded.

"I won't keep anything from you again." He said. "I swear."

Then she was kissing her again and they were sliding down the wall and onto the floor. This wasn't what he had planned, not really, but he wasn't going to complain.

She let his hands roam over her where ever he wanted them too. It felt good to be touched by someone she trusted and even though they didn't know each other that long.

She wanted to touch him too, and that was new, Garett had scared the shit out of her with the things he tried and the things he wanted her to do that she wasn't ready for.

Daryl was gentle and his hands were kind. He made her feel good with his touch. She felt his hands on her lower back and he was making circles on her skin with his thumbs. She let out a long sigh and he almost lost it.

She was so soft and it was getting really warm in the small boathouse they were in. They sat on the floor and he was up against the wall before he knew it she was crawling onto his lap. If he wasn't up against the wall he would have fallen over from the shock of how good it felt.

She was sitting right on his dick, except there was a whole bunch of clothes in the way right now. His head was spinning from it.

Merle was right about it all, but he was still glad he waited for this particular girl to come along. He still couldn't be that guy.

But this felt so right and he couldn't stop his hands from going up her back. She shivered and whispered in his ear don't stop. He brought a hand over to the front of her and touched his first breast ever. God she was so fucking soft.

Then her hands were running up his chest and over his shoulders. It was so intense, too much and not enough all at the same time. His dick was throbbing and he was worried that she could feel it. He was going to have to find someplace to jerk off later that was for sure.

He backed her off of his lap a minute and looked at her. He couldn't stop himself from kissing her again, she tasted like strawberry. It must have been her lip gloss or something, and he would never get tired of kissing her.

"I didn't bring you here for that Carol, I just wanted to talk to you. I mean, I know Shane and Lori come out here, that's how I knew not to lock the door today when I put the row boats and shit away." He sputtered out in a rush.

She laughed. "I know that Daryl, you aren't a douchebag."

"No, I'm really not." He said and then she was kissing him again and moving back on his lap. His heart was beating out of his chest and he was sweating from the raging heat he was feeling. He had never been this close to another human being before.

"You are so fucking beautiful." He groaned his hands roaming over her again and it felt so good to her. It felt so right and she wanted so much more. She went from not being interested at all, to being more interested than she ever had been before.

He lived so far away though, but they had the whole summer yet didn't they? She didn't care because he was kissing her and his lips were moving down her neck scorching hot. She reached her hands around him and pulled his shirt up so she could get her hands on his back.

He felt her fingers at his belt in the back and her hands were at the waistband of his pants and going lower. And he was going to die right now, he was sure of it. The feel of her hands on his skin was making him crazy. He wanted her desperately but not like this, not on a hard boathouse floor with tons of people outside the door.

"I think we better slow down Carol." He said slowly, as if he couldn't get the words out.

She nodded and sat back. "I know, you're right."

"I, we aren't ready for this yet."

He was ready, he wasn't, but he was. His body was ready but his head was all jumbled up.

"I don't know, I feel ready and I think you do too." She said.

She slid her eyes down his body and grinned, letting him know she had felt it. For once he wasn't embarrassed and he grinned up at her and shrugged.

"Nope, I'm taking the high road this time. " He said helping her off his lap and standing up. He held his hand out to help her up. "We got time."

She looked around at the room. They could sneak blankets in here and make it more comfortable, he was right she didn't want splinters anywhere strange. But the feel of him pressed up against her just made her want so much more.

He took her hand and they walked outside. The air was thick with the humidity of the night and with thoughts on both sides about what if anything was next.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading, let me know what you think. I heart you all muchly. xxxxxxx**_

Carol and Lori sat on the beach of the lake the next day watching Daryl teach archery over in a clearing with two little boys who had signed up for the class. He was wearing board shorts and another button down plaid shirt and the hat. She was having trouble keeping her eyes off of him and Lori noticed of course.

Carol had never liked plaid as much as she liked it this summer.

He wore it well.

Lori and she were on break and were able to lay on the beach by the lake a little while in the morning. They worked Saturday nights usually and more often than not the karaoke machine was involved.

She watched him as he gave his lessons. He was a good teacher and Carol knew he enjoyed it most out of everything they did here at camp.

He was patient and kind to the kids as they were learning. He had told Carol that he really enjoyed the classes and being one on one with the kids.

She was proud of him and he knew it. He walked a little taller this summer and his head was a little higher, because of this girl. When someone really liked you and cared about you and you knew it, it could change your life.

It was changing her life.

Lori looked at him in the clearing with her hand over her eyes.

"Shane said you two were in the boathouse last night." Lori said.

"Shane has a big mouth." Carol hissed.

"Yes, he does. So how was it?"

"How was…what?" Carol asked.

"It." She said. "You know."

Carol shook her head. "We didn't…"

"You didn't do it?" Lori said leaning back on her hands like this was a casual conversation.

"No! We didn't do it!" She said sharply. "Lori, I don't even know what to do."

"Oh." She replied.

"Did you? With Shane?"

Lori shook her head. "Not Shane, but with a boy back home though."

She looked over to Carol, whose eyes were as big as saucers now. She and Lori had never had such a frank discussion before. She had never talked with her friends back home at all like this. It was clear to her that she was a late bloomer.

"But, I'm going to with Shane."

"Lori how can you be so casual, like it isn't a big deal." Carol said. "I'm kind of afraid."

"I was too, that's why I did it and got it over with. We fooled around all last year. It was fun." Lori said. "Now I don't have to worry about it."

"But, was it special? I mean…."

Lori nodded. "I'll see him in school this year and we'll probably start again, we didn't want to be tied down for the summer. That's all."

"You love him,"

She shrugged. "What's love anyway?"

"We know we aren't ready, I mean he stopped us."

"That must have taken a lot." Lori giggled. "I know what he was doing that night."

Carol turned beet red and covered her face but she felt all warm thinking about it too. The idea both excited her and terrified her at the same time. She really wanted to but it was the actual carrying it out that scared the crap out of her. But thinking about it made her heart jump into her throat with anticipation.

"Lori!" She cried. "Is nothing sacred?"

"Nope, you should start with that, if you feel like you aren't ready. When you are, you'll know it. Just like I knew it. But for now at least give the guy a nice hand job."

Carol looked over at Daryl, he was tall and lanky with broad shoulders and thin hips. His arms made her feel safe. Looking at him made her mind wander because she wanted to do all those things with him and she knew he wanted to with her.

Just looking at his hands had her imagining them all over her and she shivered even in this heat wave.

She supposed he knew what he was doing, she knew women hung on his brother like he was some kind of God. Daryl said he was here hiding from all that this summer, but maybe and probably he didn't hide from it all the time.

He must have sensed her looking at him because he turned and smiled at her. His smile made her blood boil like it was going to overflow in her veins. She waved and then turned to Lori.

"I don't know what to do, what do I do?"

Lori looked over at her. "It's easy and they're usually so glad it's someone else doing it besides them, that, you know. " She moved her hands to mimic and explosion. "Boom." She laughed.

"You are awful." Carol laughed because she just couldn't help it.

"No, I'm right." She said as Carol glanced back over to Daryl, she wasn't grossed out like she had been in the past. She was excited.

"So I guess you never gave a blow job either." Lori said and Carol flopped back onto her towel.

She felt so sexually inexperienced he would probably laugh at her. He had to know what he was doing because the way he kissed her drove her out of her mind and made her climb into his lap last night trying to get closer to him.

"Don't worry Carol, we can swipe some bananas at breakfast tomorrow and I'll show you."

/

True to her word the next day Lori swiped two bananas at breakfast and proceeded to give Carol the most embarrassing lesson of her life in their cabin. Carol knew she would always keep in touch with Lori after they left the camp. Anyone who would show you that was a keeper for a friend.

She didn't feel any better prepared and she was petrified, she was sure he had been with other girls and she didn't want to disappoint him.

She really liked him, more and more every day and she was pretty sure he felt the same.

Later on they sat down by the dock with their feet in the water. Daryl took her hand and brought it to his lips, looking at her through his eyelashes and she smiled. He had the bluest eyes he had ever seen and she was overtaken with them sometimes.

She didn't know he felt the same about her eyes and about her whole being. It blew his mind even after seeing her every day for almost four weeks.

They had the boom box with them and they were playing music softly as they sat and talked. He was telling her more about his family now that it wasn't such a big secret and he was comfortable talking to her.

"Oh, I love this song." Carol exclaimed as "Today" By Smashing Pumpkins came on and she started to sing.

"Today is the greatest day I've ever known. Can't live for tomorrow. Tomorrows much too long."

He held her hand still as she sang and thought about how every Today was the greatest day now.

"I sure hope you like Smashing Pumpkins Daryl, that's a deal breaker for me." She said laughing.

"I like them fine." He said kicking water out from where his feet were in the lake.

"Ok good, cause I can't compromise on that."

"Is Aneurysm really your favorite song?" He asked, not believing he had worked up the nerve. He had known her less than a month, but he had to know. That was a song about sex.

"Yeah." She blushed. "I love his voice in it, it sucks that he's gone." She lowered her head and so did Daryl, a moment of silence for Kurt Cobain.

"It's about..."

"I know." She answered really fast and it was clear she was getting uncomfortable so he decided to change the subject. She crawled into his lap a few days ago and practically gave him a lap dance and now she was all shy.

Whatever, girls were weird, he already knew that.

"What do you do at home, for fun?" He asked her, because she already knew everything about his life. He had spilled it all on their walk back to the fireworks, not wanting to have any secrets from her at all.

She knew it all, all about his father and his precious public image that was so very different from how he was at home with his sons. He told her about his mother dying in the fire when he, Merle and their dad were at a race one night when he was eight.

He told her about being the son of a NASCAR racer and now the brother of one that there had been a little pressure to follow them into the business. But he wasn't, he wanted to do something with the environment and Merle called him a tree hugger.

It was all in fun, Merle was his biggest supporter, if Daryl wanted to go to college, then he was going. Merle would make sure of it.

He told her everything.

"I listen to music and hang out with my friends sometimes mostly I read." She said. "I..uh..I broke up with someone in May. It was bad."

"I get it, we don't have to talk about that if you don't wanna." He said.

"He was a big jerkoff, he cheated." She said. "But your right, I don't want to talk about him."

"Tell me about your parents and your brother."

"My brother goes to U Delaware and he's a political science major. My parents are getting divorced and we have to move to a cheaper house."

She looked over at him, wondering if now he would change his mind about her. They came from two different worlds and she wouldn't blame him a bit.

"That sucks," He said taking her hand again. "But you're a strong girl. You can do anything."

She nodded. "I know."

"We come from two different worlds I guess, I'm so glad to know a girl who isn't into racing or a pit whore."

"A what?" She asked making a face.

"A girl who hangs out at the race track, trying to fuck me to get to Merle or one of the other drivers."

"Oh." She said softly, Lori's lessons weren't going to help her at all. He had been around the block a few times it seemed.

He realized his mistake and quickly explained to her. "No, I don't. I don't mess with those girls, I'm not trying to get the clap."

She giggled. "Your brother? He messes with them."

He nodded.

"The clap?" She said still giggling.

"Yeah Merle's gotten the clap on occasion."

"But not you."

He shook his head. He wanted to just tell her but he was so embarrassed. His experience with girls amounted to kissing a few and not much more.

That night in the boathouse with her had been the best night of his life and he was so afraid to tell her. Every time he looked at her he thought about that night. They hadn't gone back there yet. He didn't want to push her or make her think that was all he wanted.

It wasn't, for the first time in his life Daryl Dixon actually cared about someone other than Merle. He cared about her enough to not pressure her or push her.

Something told him she wasn't used to that either.

/

The days passed by some quickly and some slowly as they did their jobs and spent more and more time together. Carol had started teaching an art class with Tara and a few others and Daryl was still giving archery lessons, now three times a week. Rick had finally released his cross bow and he got to do a little hunting too.

Every little boy there wanted to be in his class. The other counselors worked on running sports with the kids and Daryl spent a lot of time life guarding with Gareth.

Keep your enemies close.

Maggie and Glenn were leading a group of kids through a path to the soccer field. Rick and Michonne were already there with their group. It was cool in the shade of the field and they were making use of it for some outdoor things that they didn't get to do often in the high afternoon.

But today was nice so they had all the kids out.

Zack and Shane were carrying a big cooler of Gatorade over to the field and Maggie blew her whistle calling them over.

"Put it right there boys." She said pointing to the bleachers on the side of the field. Two little girls sat on the bleachers with a score card and Maggie nodded to them and blew her whistle. "Ok, let's get this game going."

Tara walked over with Milton and Eugene who had become her two shadows since they arrived. They had a few more soccer balls for the kids to kick the ball into the nets. They were going to start out by taking turns doing that and eventually work their way up to a game.

Each kid took a turn dribbling the ball over to the net and kicking it into it. They didn't even have goalies yet, but they were doing ok.

Partway through the activity one of the little girls fell down and twisted her ankle. Maggie blew the whistle and Glenn looked up from his group. They all ran over to where Sophia sat on the ground holding her ankle.

"Ok." Maggie said. "Tara, can you and Milton take her to see the nurse, and ask Joann to call home and let the parents know?"

They both nodded and Eugene went over to Glenn to help with the kids Maggie was working with.

Milton picked her up and he and Tara and he started for the path to the nurse's office. Along the way they ran into Andrea who was a paramedic at home and she also went with them. Carol and Daryl had just been coming out of the nurse's office with some aloe for Lori's sunburn. The nurse, Joann, who was a tall pretty red head older than all of them called after them.

"If she needs some aspirin tell her she has to come get that herself, I need a waiver filled out for that." She called after them

"Thanks, Miss. Joann." Carol said as they waved goodbye to her. They saw Milton and Tara coming with the little girl in Milton's arms and Andrea behind them. They ran down to them and walked with them up the path.

"Oh." Sophia." Daryl said. "You take a spill darlin?"

She looked up at him pitifully and nodded.

"Well. Don't you worry sweetheart, Miss JoAnn will take good care of you."

"Can I have ice cream after dinner tonight?" Sophia asked and Carol giggled. "I love those ice cream sandwiches you get Mr. Daryl."

"Guess your ankle is gonna be ok huh?" Daryl said giving her a little nod.

She nodded looking up at him with her big brown eyes as they walked her onto the porch of the nurse's porch.

Daryl and Carol joined hands and started back down the path. He was so good with the kids it just made her smile.

"You are something else, you know that?" She said to him.

"I know." He smiled at her and she went to smack his arm but he grabbed her arm.

He pulled her close and kissed her. Then they were walking down the path hand and hand again.

"I have to tell you something else Carol." He said as they walked down the path towards the closest smoking spot they could find.

"What? You really do have a girlfriend after all?" She teased swinging their hands as she walked to let him know she was kidding.

"No and I really like you Carol." He stammered out and she squeezed his hand.

"I really like you too." She answered.

He suddenly felt very brave and very talkative. It was happening more and more. He never opened up to people like he opened up to her.

"No, actually its more than that, I think I love you."


	9. Chapter 9

Carol almost tripped over her feet but quickly covered it up as they walked down the path. She hadn't been expecting that but she knew two things. He was telling the truth and she felt that way too. They had known each other less than two months, she knew that.

But sometimes that didn't matter, sometimes you just knew.

It was fast but it was real.

She wasn't interested in anyone when she got here and how quickly he had changed that and made her a believer.

That was how it was supposed to happen when you fell in love. You didn't see in coming and it hit you like a ton of bricks when you least expected.

"I think I love you too." She said and squeezed his hand as they walked down the path to go have a cigarette.

They didn't talk anymore about it. They didn't need to. Somehow they were going to make this work when they left here. It was understood and they accepted it as fact.

They had till August twenty fifth. It was July 15th and it felt like they had all the time in the world. It would go by fast and then they would have to go home. But that wasn't happening today. They would live in the moment for the rest of the summer and figure it out later. Together.

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Lori walked with Maggie towards the bathhouse, they had to shower in shifts so that the kids weren't left alone or with less supervision than was needed, plus they would run out of the lukewarm water they called hot. Lori and Maggie were among the group that were going on that Tuesday morning. Lori carried her towel and a carrying basket with her shampoo and soap. Maggie had the same and they both also had clothes.

There were a few other girls milling around and talking to each other. Some of them were blow drying and curling their hair god knows why.

Kelsey was walking out after just taking her shower as Lori was walking in and if Maggie hadn't been there Kelsey would have gotten her ass kicked.

There was a lot of drama still and name calling going on and Lori was sick of it. Carol was her friend and Kelsey was trying to ruin her summer because she wanted to hop on Daryl's dick. As if he would let her.

"Where's that demon friend of yours?" Kelsey said to Lori as  
Lori walked by her.  
Lori turned to Maggie and said "Excuse me one minute."

Then she turned around to where Kelsey and Sylvia were standing. She gave then a broad smile.

"I'm not sure, but your right Kelsey Daryl says she's a demon too." Lori watched as Kelsey's face changed and something between a scowl and a smile appeared. She couldn't decide if she was going to be happy or not about what Lori was saying. "He said she's a demon in the sack."

Kelsey turned around without a word and started to leave. "Why don't you ask him bitch." Lori yelled after her.

With that Kelsey and Sylvia left and Lori turned to Maggie.

"I'm sorry, she's..."

Maggie shook her head. "Don't you worry, I didn't hear a thing." She said smiling. "I don't like girls like that, there's enough crap in this world without girls stabbing each other in the back over boys."

"Thanks, Maggie." Lori said as they went into their separate shower areas.

Daryl followed Gareth down the path towards the girl's showers that morning not long after his talk with Carol while they were walking in the woods. He had walked her to the lodge after and that's when he saw Gareth being all sketchy.

Daryl did not like or trust him as far as he could throw him. He was up to no good and Daryl was pretty sure today was the day he pounded him into the ground for whatever offense he was about to commit.

So he followed him to the girl's showers.

Carol showered at night so if he was going peeping at least Daryl knew he wouldn't see her. If that creep looked at her even with her clothes on Daryl wanted to kill him. If there was any chance he saw her with no clothes on he was as good as dead.

Daryl knew she was in ceramics with Eugene and Milton right now reenacting the scene from Ghost no doubt, he snickered to himself.

Those artistic types were an entity unto their own but Daryl liked that about her. She did all of that creative stuff.

He was grateful she wasn't at the showers right now.

But still, this was just gross. He stayed far enough behind him so that he wouldn't hear him. His cross bow slung over his shoulder and he stopped to light a cigarette.

Gareth was just ahead of him walking where he had no business walking. Daryl watched him as he approached the window to the girl's dressing room. He was disgusted with this whole thing. They were too old for this kind of bullshit.

He watched silently as Gareth pulled a garbage can over and rolled it on its side.

Oh hell no.

He put the cigarette out and stuck it in his pocket.

Gareth was just about to step up onto the garbage can when he heard a clicking noise. He turned slowly knowing it wasn't good and came face to face with the business end of Daryl's crossbow.

"What the fuck are you doing you little pervert." Daryl growled.

Gareth stepped back against the wall of the shower house and put his hands up. But Daryl didn't put the crossbow down. Suddenly Maggie and Lori were there because they had been walking out as this thing went down with Daryl and Gareth.

"What's going on?" Maggie cried when she saw Daryl pointing the cross bow at Gareth.

"Caught him pulling a garbage can over to the window." Daryl hissed not taking his eyes from Gareth.

He grinned that evil grin at Daryl and sneered at him. "He's lying."

"Ok, both of you let's go, we're going to have a chat with Rick." Maggie said and she pulled out the walkie talkie she always had on her and radioed Rick to come down to where they were.

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Gareth was brought before the devil's trio in the air conditioned offices over by the small dining room. Rick and Daryl gave their version of the events and Gareth came clean and swore he wouldn't try it again. Mr. Blake and Mr. Peltiere put him on notice, one more slip up and he was going home. He assured them that it was a one-time thing, and it wouldn't happen ever again. Peltiere's wife wanted to send him home, but truthfully, Blake didn't entirely believe Daryl.

He was not a NASCAR fan.

Gareth was also very convincing and Rick and Daryl really had no say. They weren't the ones in charge.

He would stay out of trouble and stay away from the girl's cabin's and showers. Daryl did not for one minute think that was the first time he did that. It was just the first time he got caught. So Daryl issued a warning also. If he so much as looked at any of the girls and one girl in particular, he was getting a bolt in the head.

Gareth believed him.

Daryl left the main lodge after speaking to Gareth and then to Rick. Carol was coming up the path with Lizzie and Micha taking them to visit Sophia who was back down at the nurse's cabin having her foot checked.

He fell into step with her and bumped her shoulder as they walked.

"Come here often?" He said to her and she smiled.

"Whatcha doing?" She asked, noticing that he was a little tense still from his altercation with Gareth.

"Ah, you know, the usual, fighting the creeps, protecting you ladies." He said tasseling Lizzie's hair.

Lizzie gave him a huge grin, she was homesick for her father and the extra attention Daryl and Carol gave her always made her smile. Micha was the opposite of her sister, she adjusted to everything easily, and Lizzie had a harder time.

"Yeah, I heard about that." Carol said and she shuddered. "He is such a perv."

"Don't worry, he won't be bothering you." Daryl said. "And he's damn lucky you weren't there or he'd be pulling a bolt out of his ass."

She stopped in the middle of the path and took him by the arm. He was something else.

"Thank you for protecting my honor." She said and got on her tip toes to kiss him.

Lizzie and Micha erupted in giggles at the sight of her kissing him. They were preteens and the sight of people kissing always made them giggle uncontrollably. The kept walking ahead of Carol and Daryl when they saw all there was to see.

"Anytime sweetheart." He said as they followed the little girls down the path. "You let me know if he acts up again. I won't even blink, because I didn't like him before this ya know?"

She nodded. "So I have to take them to see Sophia at the nurse's cabin, but. I'll see you tonight, after dinner."

She looked down towards the lake, they had planned to meet after dark that night. They had met a few times, when they could slip away unnoticed. That wasn't very often because Maggie and Tara did bed checks on everyone, but s few times a week they could get out.

He nodded and his face flushed all the way up to his ears. "Wouldn't miss it Carol."

"Me either." She smiled looking down at her feet. She was just getting used to looking at him and not getting totally embarrassed and it seemed like he still did get embarrassed.

He had something to say though so he was going to have to suck it up and be a man. Something happened the last time they were together and she had stopped things.

He understood and in reality was grateful, neither one had come clean about not having any experience either.

"Hey." He touched her arm. "No pressure ok, it's not about that."

"I'm sorry about last time." She said looking straight into his eyes, she was trying to be brave and not embarrassed. She had totally put the brakes on everything the last time, much like he did the first time they went out to be alone.

"Don't be sorry." Daryl said. "I aint going nowhere."

"I trust you, I really do." She didn't want him to think it was him. It was definitely her, she had a bad case of cold feet.

He nodded and he knew she did. They trusted each other without question. "I know and we got all the time in the world."

He said as he slung the crossbow over his shoulder and stepped closer to her.

Then to her surprise he kissed her forehead. "I'll see you at dinner."

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Their group always ate together and they allowed Gareth into the group at the table they all sat at. Lori wouldn't sit next to him and Shane kept punching his fist into his palm every time Gareth looked at him. Daryl and Carol sat across from each other as usual, paying attention to only each other. They had a date that night and Carol decided she wasn't putting the brakes on anything.

She trusted him and wanted him. He wasn't like her ex and he wouldn't try to make her do anything she didn't want to do.

Still her appetite wasn't so good because she was nervous and of course he noticed. He shook his head across the table from her. Then he moved his eyes towards her plate and she shook her head.

Rick came by and leaned on the end of the table with his hands and looked at all of them sternly. Shane stopped the hand motion he had been doing for most of the meal and suddenly was very interested in what was on his plate.

"Now, I don't want any trouble with you all. It's up to you to set an example for these little kids. You all need to know. I'll be watching you."

They all gave him nods and assurances that there were not going to be problems and she was right. The little ones watched every move they made and imitated everything they saw.

There would be no problems, they had five weeks left and no one wanted to start anything and get sent home early.

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She met him on the path later that night after the kids were all asleep and Lori was covering for her if Tara decided to mosey over to their cabin to check on them. Michonne and Andrea had become friends here too and they could be seen around the camp on their nightly walks.

It took a lot of maneuvering to get any time alone.

The heat in the boathouse was stifling at night. Daryl had left the door unlocked during the day whenever they wanted to be alone at night and put a blanket and two pillows in one of the boats. He had swiped them from the laundry cart in the main lodge, when Milton wasn't looking.

He was careful to make sure no one saw him take the blankets, because he wasn't wanting to get caught swiping blankets. Milton would rat him out for sure, he was a nice kid but he had no balls at all. He would sing like a canary if he was questioned.

So far no one had missed them and they hadn't been caught. Neither had Lori and Shane so far or maybe the minions knew and were looking the other way.

Either way, no one was taking a chance and fucking this up.

He and Carol were laying on the blankets facing each other and he was running his hand along her hip. They had a bottle of soda with them and two cups sitting off to the side. But they weren't thirsty.

He took his hand and pushed her hair behind her ear. He liked doing that because she always shivered when his fingers touched behind her there.

He moved closer to her and kissed her sweetly. They were getting used to being close to each other and the way their bodies fit together. There was sweet heat between them now and that fire was slowly building with every kiss and touch.

Their hands roamed over each other without trepidation now and they were learning how to make each other feel good. They had visited the boathouse often the past few weeks but both agreed they were taking it slow.

Either one of them could stop things if they wanted to, no questions and no bullshit.

Sometimes it wasn't easy. Tonight the kisses were fevered and hot, almost dirty. It was hard to go slow sometimes because their bodies had a mind of their own.

They talked a lot when they were out there together while they were learning each other. Ever since his confession a few weeks earlier, they were so much more comfortable with each other and he wasn't afraid to talk about anything.

He kissed her, hotter and hotter and she pulled him over on top of her, she let her knees fall apart so that he was between her legs. This wasn't new and he raised up on his elbows and kissed her letting his hands roam over her chest.

Soon her hands were under his shirt and running up his back sending shivers up his spine now. Still nothing new and something they were both used to.

He kissed her again, this time sliding his tongue against hers lazy and slow, like he was fucking her mouth with it and the heat that was pooling in her body was making her lose control.

There was nothing better than kissing her and as he felt her small hands running over his back and chest, he couldn't stop from moving against her.

His dick was hard and aching and the feeling of her against him relieved the pressure a little as a moan escaped his lips.

She welcomed the friction he was creating and then he dipped his head down to kiss down her neck and over her breasts in her shirt. She let out a sigh that made his stomach lurch and he looked up at her as he lifted her shirt to make sure it was ok.

This was where she stopped him last time and both of them were stumbling through this and just doing what felt good. She nodded right away although it seemed like an eternity to him waiting for permission.

"Beautiful." He whispered looking down at her running his hands over her breasts.

His face was between her breasts in a second after she nodded and he licked the valley between them, tasting the salt of her skin before settling on one of her nipples. Her bra was thin and it made goosebumps break out all over her body.

His other hand came up to the other breast and under her bra. The two different sensations of his tongue swirling on one through her bra and his fingers directly on the other drove her crazy.

She moved her hips against him in a desperate rhythm, the fire was burning inside of her and she needed more. She groaned in frustration and pushed against him more and more.

He didn't stop what he was doing and before long they were both in a burning frenzy. It was going to be really hard to stop now.

He was hard as a rock and leaking already then she stopped breathing for a minute and he was almost scared until he saw her. Her head was thrown back and her face so sweet and soft looking.

"Oh, my god, oh Daryl." She cried as her body went still and he watched her skin flush as she rode out her first orgasm with his name on her lips.

He pulled her close to him and laid on his side holding her.

"Did you just…" He asked.

"I think so..." She said. "I don't know, but it was fuckin awesome."

He pulled her close to him digging his hands into her curly red hair. She came with all her cloths on and he was totally dumbfounded.

"I think so." She nodded.

"That was….. Beautiful." He said kissing her head.

She turned her head and kissed him and suddenly her hand was on the bulge in his pants. He let out a low groan that was almost a growl as he put his large hand over her small one.

"You don't gotta Carol."

"I want to, tell me what to do." She breathed into his ear. "I really want to."

"There's really no way you can do it wrong." He puffed out as she was unzipping his jeans, god it felt incredible already.

She dispatched with his pants quickly and he was now in his boxers. She ran her hand over him and he hissed out a breath. He knew he was about to go off and it wouldn't take long at all, he threw up a prayer that he wouldn't totally embarrass himself.

She sat up and got comfortable next to him. He moved around a little trying to see what she was doing and finally he just sat up on his elbows to watch, for as long as he would be able to stand it at least. He knew this was going to be over too soon. It was the hottest thing ever watching her touch him, and this was as far as they had ever gone before.

She reached inside his boxers and grasped him like Lori had told her. She slid her thumb over the top of him and rubbed him there and then his head went back onto the pillows. So much for watching, she just totally undid him in one second and one touch.

His hands gripped the blankets they were laying on as she ran her thumb around in the pre cum that was leaking out of him. His eyes slid closed and he groaned deep in his throat, but louder than he intended.

"Oh Jesus, Carol." He groaned. "Please don't stop."

"I won't." She whispered looking down at her hand totally enthralled with what she was doing.

Whatever she was doing, he liked it a lot, judging from his breathing which was getting harder and harder, and by his words.

She removed her hand and he looked up fully prepared to beg her to keep going only to see her licking her hand and making it wet.

He almost came right then, but then her hand was on him, wet and warm and sliding up and down in the most delicious way.

He felt the familiar pulling in his gut and there was no going back now. His hips bucked up and his hands gripped the blankets more and he was lost to it. Lost to her.

He wanted it so bad. She never felt so powerful in all her life. She was doing this to him, making him fall apart and it wasn't an accident like with her.

He writhed with total abandon, pulling on the blanket he still gripped in his hands because he couldn't help it and it was because of her. His eyes were closed and his legs were moving all around.

This was the hottest experience of her life and she couldn't take her eyes off of his face. She watched him as his lips moved silently swearing a blue streak as he came all over her hand.

When he finally calmed down and his breathing was back to normal he reached up for her and pulled her down on top of him. Pulling her tight against him and breathing in her hair and scent.

"I love you Carol, I love you so much."


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: I had horrible formatting difficulties with this chapter. I hope it comes out alright. Many thanks to Magenta's Nightmare for helping me get this all together.**_

It happened on August 7th, she would remember this day for years to come. She and Lori had baked all day at the lake and if it hadn't been for sunscreen she would have been burned for sure, even though she had a nice healthy glow for the first time ever.

Her mother loved the pictures Carol had sent to her. Her daughter was glowing and happy. She had them all moved from their old house, to the smaller and less expensive one, and Jane was sure things would be different.

Carol would be different, this time at camp really brought out the best in her. It was hard to let go of both her children. Abe had a new girlfriend, and it was serious and Carol was growing up. What was the expression? A mother gives her children roots to grow and wings to fly.

They both were going to fly one day. Carol had sent pictures of her friends and she and Jane noticed it. In the pictures the boy with the shaggy blonde hair was always next to her daughter and in more than one picture his arm was draped over her shoulder.

The smiles on both their faces was all the proof Jane needed.

It was seven pm when it happened. Carol, Lori and Gareth were coming around the corner outside the main lodge to empty a few garbage cans that Daryl forgot and she saw them.

Kelsey Jamison had Daryl leaned up against the back of the building. Carol came around the corner deep in conversation with Lori and Gareth and stopped short. He was kissing her, not like he kissed Carol, but it didn't matter to her.

He was kissing her.

Just like Garrett was all she could think of. She dropped the garbage can making a huge racket that scared everyone and Kelsey pulled away from him. She just grinned at Carol and Daryl was already trying to get to Carol.

"Carol."

She met him halfway as he tried to get to her to explain. She reared back and slapped him as hard as she could. She hadn't had the chance with Garrett and it felt good, although she knew it shouldn't.

"Carol, wait." Even after she slapped him he was still trying to talk to her. "It's not what you think."

"Don't you fucking talk to me!" She said and kicked him in the shin, he was lucky that was the only place she kicked him and then she was gone running towards the woods.

"Jesus, Dixon, what a hell cat she is" Gareth said as Daryl started to run after Carol. "You're one lucky bastard." Gareth called after him and Lori turned to him.

"Shut up Gareth." And then she approached Kelsey. "Are you happy now, you fucking whore?"

She didn't know where she was going, just the hell away from him. He was just like all the other guys she knew. They all wanted what was right in front of them at the time, screw feelings or loyalty.

One promise, just one simple promise not to trust again and he had gotten through her armor so easily. She felt like a fool.

She could hear him behind her but it was shady now and harder to see, if she didn't slow down she could lose him. She looked up through the canopy of trees to the steadily darkening sky and then around her, everything looked the same. She just kept going.

"Carol! Wait!"

There was no way she was stopping for him. She ran further and faster but she was starting to wonder what the endgame was. What if she got lost out here?

He must have been running too cause she could still hear his footfalls.

"Carol, hold up!"

"Leave me alone!" she screamed.

The last thing she wanted was a bunch of lame apologies and bullshit, they were all the same.

"I'm not leaving you out here alone, Carol!"

She saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye and there he was.

"It's not up to you. Just leave me alone."

"You got it wrong, Carol. Let me explain."

"There always some excuse isn't there?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, still out of breath from chasing her.

"Look, I've already been down this road. I'm done with guys who don't know what they want."

"I do know what I want!"

"Yep, a little from column A and little from column B just like most guys."

"I'm not like that. I don't know what happened to you but that's not me!"

"I didn't even want to do this, this summer, so just forget anything happened."

"Can you forget that easily? Cause I can't. She kissed me, Carol, not the other way around."

"I sure didn't see you pushing her away," she huffed, digging in her pocket before realizing she didn't have a cigarette on her.

He took one out of his pocket and lit it for her. She was too angry and flustered to refuse it.

"This is all pretty new to me. I didn't want to kiss her but for a split second I imagined how I'd feel if someone just pushed me away and I didn't know how to handle it."

"Please," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I don't want to be some guy who makes a girl feel like shit, OK?"

"How sweet?" she answered, dryly.

"I'm telling you the truth, I really like you and I'm not this idiot who let you go."

She took a drag and wanted to kick herself for believing him but she did. She looked deep into his eyes and in that moment she knew everything he said to her was true.

"I'm not perfect and I know I hurt you but I'm not a cheater."

She watched as he turned to leave and it was now or never, she had to say something.

"Wait!"

He looked back at her over his shoulder.

"What?"

"It's actually really nice that you didn't want to hurt her."

"I thought so. I know she's a bitch but she's still a human being, right?" he grinned.

"Come here," she said, softly.

He walked over and she knew this would go further than ever before. The look in his eye was that of absolute fire.

"You care about me?" she asked as he got within a few feet of her.

"It's more than that," he said, moving into her space and taking a hold of her. 'You know it is."

"Can I trust you?" she asked.

"Yes, you can. I'd never hurt you."

The world slowed right down to a crawl and she felt so sure of everything all of a sudden.

She pulled him to her and in an instant her body was burning like it never had before.

He pushed his tongue into her mouth and let his hands roam free. She was too hot to let up.

All he could think about was getting closer to her body and the song Aneurysm by Nirvana.

She started to slide her hands under his shirt and she was kissing him so hard and so fast. His breath increased and soon he was gasping a little for air.

It was dark now and they were so far from the camp that this was very irresponsible. He couldn't care less if he tried though as she grabbed his ass through his jeans.

Fuuuuck me! He thought.

"I want to..." she panted into his neck as she ran her hands under his shirt.

He didn't want to take his mouth away from hers but he had to ask what she meant.

"What do you want?" he asked finally, pulling her shirt up to get to her skin.

When he caught sight of her eyes and he could guess just what she meant.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," she said, pulling him close.

"Here?"

She answered by working on his belt. The kiss from before had lit a fire in her and thinking he was a cheater had made her so angry she thought he'd never kiss him again. Now that she knew where she stood she wanted him more than ever.

He was a little scared, he kept thinking of the condom in the pocket of his coat. He'd had it there for a while since Merle insisted he be smart but he never thought he would be using it in these circumstances. There was no way his hormones or heart could refuse her although he had no idea how good it would be.

She got his pants undone and was touching him now. Her small, cold hand on him made him hiss and fall weak in his legs.

"Carol..." he whispered.

She pulled him onto a reasonably comfortable looking patch of grass. She sank down and he followed obediently.

It was madness but it felt right. She lay back, looking up at tapestry of stars.

He was pulled onto her and she was still touching him. Daryl swallowed hard, and started to touch her back through her shorts. She moaned and opened her leg, it was so hot his body wanted more and more now.

"Please tell me you have a condom" she said in a pleading voice. There was a desperation in her tone that made him melt.

"Yeah, I got one but...do you think we should?" he asked.

"Don't you want to?"

"Of course but I'm just...kinda nervous."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've never done this before."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, sounding surprised, "I thought you had."

"I want to but it might not be that great," he admitted.

She smiled at him and realized she was even more excited that it would be both their first times.

"I've never done it either but I'm sure it'll be good," she insisted.

She undid her own shorts and he backed up, looking down at her. She was laying on the grass in the moonlight and he nearly died as she slid her shorts and panties down her legs.

"Jesus...Carol...I..."

He leaned down, kissing her softly. He wanted this so bad but he was terrified.

His hands moved over her breasts through her shirt and then down between her legs. She sighed and panted, trying to pull him closer but he was right there. Somehow it was perfect. She wrapped one of her legs around his and he couldn't take anymore.

"You ready?" she asked.

"God, I don't know, I think so..." he stuttered.

He took a deep breath and fumbled around trying to get his shaking hand into the top pocket of his coat.

"Are you OK?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm just nervous," he stammered.

He bit it open and fidgeted with it trying to figure out which way it went. He tried one way and it wasn't right. He sighed heavily, it was all too much all of a sudden.

"Damn it!" he moaned.

"Shhhh, let me do it."

She took it from him and he looked up at the moon and stars through the trees as she rolled it down over him. Just the feeling of this was making him start to fall apart.

He lay over her and kissed her for another minute trying to 'man up' as Merle would put it.

They fumbled and shifted trying to get things just right, and then he moved into her. He didn't know what to expect, he just hoped like hell she wouldn't freak out or cry or slap him.

She closed her eyes tight and her body was tense but he went very slow.

He got moving at a sleepy, slow pace and asked her if she was OK.

"I'm OK..." she answered, nodding her head.

She pulled his mouth to hers. His body wanted it faster but there was no way he'd give into that, not unless she asked.

He went slow and never got very fast at all.

She clung to him trying to remember everything about his face and hands and the way she felt in that moment.

He could sense it getting to the point of no return and he couldn't stop it. She saw his face scrunch up and he wrapped his arm around her head, burying his face into her neck.

He grunted and moaned a few times and then began apologizing profusely.

She lay stunned for a minute or two as he backed up and sat on the grass. She looked over at him and he was disposing of the condom and pulling up his jeans.

"Why did you say sorry?" she asked, pulling up her shorts.

"Did you even enjoy that?" he asked.

"Of course I did, it was perfect," she insisted, sitting up to kiss him.

"Oh...thank God!"

He stood up and reached down to help her up and they walked back to the camp together hand in hand.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Big love to Magenta's nightmare for helping me with this chapter. I love you ff bff. xxxxxxxx**

 **Daryl knew she wasn't upset but he was a disappointed that he hadn't made her cum. The last thing he wanted to do was risk spilling this info to anyone at camp but he needed advice. Merle was the only one he could turn to and he'd have to ask someone in charge to call home. The nicest one around was the nurse so he headed over to see about using the phone.**

He knocked and waited.

She opened the door and gave him a sweet smile. The nurse was a friendly redhead who looked like somebody's hot mom. He got bashful around her but she was nice.

"Can I use the phone in here to call home?" he asked, not making eye contact.

"Of course, dear, come in. Everything OK?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, just want to talk to my brother."

"Go ahead and use it, I have to go to the dining hall for a moment. Dial 9 before the number, Hun."

"Thanks."

He dialed the numbers and listened to it ringing wondering how the hell he'd ever ask this question.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Merle. How's it going?"

"Not bad, little brother. You miss me or something?" he joked.

"No, I uh..."

He didn't know how to put it.

"Huh? You what?" Merle pressed.

"I met a girl and she and I...did it."

There was a moment of silence and he briefly wondered if he was going to yell.

"Did you use a condom?"

"Yeah."

"Thank Christ! So? How was it?" he asked.

"I was great...for me anyway."

"Uh oh! Was it over really fast?"

"No, but she didn't...you know?"

"Well, what did you do to make her cum?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I was having sex with her." He said exasperated. "She came with her clothes on once, I figured it would be that way."

Daryl realized he was probably talking too loud and decided to lower his voice before the pretty nurse heard every word of this.

"There's a little more to it than that, Kid. Did you go down on her?"

"No, it was in the woods and it was both of our first times...I don't know it was pretty awkward, but still awesome."

"Just go down on her, that'll do it. Make sure she really wants to though, you gotta be careful about consent."

"Pffft! You make it sound so easy."

"You never heard your buddies talkin' about this kind of thing?" Merle asked.

"Not really. I just wanna make her happy. It's not fair that only I got something out of it."

"Alright then, listen up," Merle began.

It was a pretty quick rundown of 'how to' and Merle finished up just as the nurse was walking back in.

Daryl's face was red, like she could read his mind.

"Merle, I gotta go," he said, suddenly.

"Break a leg, Kid!" Merle yelled into the phone and Daryl slammed it down.

"Uh...thank you, Ma'am."

That night in the dining hall they sat across the table from each other eating some terrifying looking food. She slid a piece of paper across the table to him.

He took it and unfolded it in his lap.

Meet me tonight?

He swallowed hard and looked up when he realized he didn't have a pen and she handed him hers.

Sure, at the nurses office at 10. Shane called dibs on the boat house tonight already.

He'd noticed the window of the nurse's office was always left open right on the porch. It was a little cabin building with low windows and screens that would come out easily. The nurse was always gone at 9 and was on call after that. He slid her the note and she nodded. He was trying to get through the questionable food when she slid the paper back to him.

Do you have any more condoms?

He didn't know where to look or what to say but he figured now was as good a time as any to see if she was up for it.

Yeah, but I was thinking of just doing something for you, if you want?

He could tell by the look on her face, when she read it, that she had no idea what he meant. He wanted to avoid writing it down if he could. His eyes looked down just for an instant and he raised his eyebrows, hoping she'd get the message.

She looked at him stunned, licked her lips and then smirked.

She got the message alright but didn't say anything, she just wrote something down.

Carol's group of girlfriends were done before him and his friends so she got up to leave. She leaned over the table and dropped the paper on his tray.

Sounds good to me...

Daryl snuck out at ten to ten and waited for her, having a smoke and pacing back and forth.

When she finally showed up she had on a denim skirt and a flowery top. He hoped he could do this right.

"Hey," she said.

He handed her the smoke and she smiled leaning against the porch railing.

"So you know how to break in here?" she asked.

"Yep," he answered, staring at her bare legs.

They finished the cigarette and looked around for anyone but it was dead quiet. They had heard warning of a storm so everyone was inside awaiting the rain.

Daryl popped the screen out of the front window and stood guard as she lifted her leg up through the window. He stepped in after her and put the screen back. It was dark and it would have to stay that way or they'd get caught.

"I must say you kinda surprised me," she said.

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"My last boyfriend never wanted to do that."

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Nope."

"So he never did it?"

"No."

"I'm not gonna tell you it'll be great but I really want to."

She smiled and reached for him, pulling him close. Before he knew it she was backing up to the nurse's table and sliding her arms around his waist.

She was hot like fire and he wanted so badly to let her burn him.

He slid his hands down to her denim skirt and took both handfuls of her ass in his hands. He couldn't help but groan at the very feeling of it.

He had no idea where would be a good place for this but for now it was just kissing and touching which was amazing, he loved kissing her.

She moved her leg up and around his waist and grabbed a hold of his belt. Daryl couldn't take much more, she knew how to make him need it bad. He ran his hand up the back of her thigh all the way to her ass and that's when it dawned on him that she had nothing on under her skirt.

"Jesus..." he hissed.

His fingertips grazed her wetness from behind her leg and she moaned softly. He grabbed her leg behind the knee and pulled her leg up higher before continuing to touch her from around her thigh.

She could feel his fingers slipping along her wet folds and she wanted him inside her. Every once in a while he'd thrust against her and make a tortured growl in his throat.

Her one leg was wrapped tightly around his hip as he drove her crazy with his hand. She'd never been felt up in this kind of position and it was amazing.

Soon he was kissing her neck and his hand moved up to her breasts through the flowery top. He undid enough buttons to kiss her and lick her nipples but getting naked was not an option. Thank God for that skirt! He thought.

He was trying to remember everything Merle told him but it was all in snippets.

~Don't be over anxious.

~Keep it wet.

~Be gentle.

~Use your hands too if you can manage it.

~Listen, and if she goes silent that's probably not a good sign.

He made his way down her body and knelt at her feet. He ran his hand up her thigh slowly and her head fell back. She moved her knees apart and his hand moved all the way up. She started to breathe heavy and the sound of it made him even more nervous, he needed this to be good for her.

He pushed her skirt up, just enough to get to her skin and kissed her inner thigh.

She made a sweet sounding gasp and he nearly died. Her leg opened as his mouth moved up her thigh...closer and closer.

He reached for her hips and held on tight when he finally made contact.

She wouldn't be able to take this very long. As it was, she held onto the edge of the exam table wanting to slide down to the floor.

His tongue moved slowly with almost no pressure but it was incredibly powerful. The sensation moved over only the outside of her most sensitive areas and it was a huge tease. His fingers dug just a little into her hips and when she looked down she could see his head moving in a slow, nodding motion. It was easily the sexiest thing she'd ever seen.

Finally his tongue slid between her lips but it was still so slow and wet. She felt her arms start to shake and she moaned a little louder. The heat moved around either side of her clit creating sweet tension that would soon leave her completely unraveled.

"Oh my god," she whispered.

He didn't lick it directly just slowly all around it...then she felt his finger enter her at the same time. That was slow too. The whole thing was so slow that she could feel every single transition, every single level of pleasure.

She was about to break. Her knees bent just slightly, she couldn't stay standing straight. It rose inside her belly and demanded to be let loose.

Her breath went from heavy to a deep and wanton panting.

"Please don't stop..." she pleaded.

There was no way he'd stop for anything. He knew it was coming, he could literally feel it.

He finally did as Merle instructed and closed his lips around her clit and moaned low and deep.

She melted into the table and let out a loud and desperate whining sound. His fingers kept sliding, slow as molasses, in and out of her and she came completely undone.

She couldn't utter a single intelligible word, only whining and panting.

When she finally started to breathe normally he still wanted to taste her, he loved this. He felt like some kind of super hero and he couldn't wait to do it again. Her old boyfriend must have been a complete fucking moron.


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N: This one is done and it's been so fun to write. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, followed and fav. You all truly make my day. Let me know what you think._**

They walked back towards her cabin on the other side of the camp hand in hand. Carol was always amazed at how he could always find his way around in the woods. Even in pitch black, but tonight there was a huge full moon to light their way.

They stood at the path that led to Carol's cabin and all of the girl cabins in camp. He couldn't go any farther because if he was seen by anyone, he would be sent home. They had such a short time to see each other every day before they went to the opposite ends of Georgia and neither wanted to mess that up.

She could see Lori sitting on the porch of their cabin from where they stood talking quietly. He stood in front of her with his forehead to hers, holding both her hands in his.

"Don't ever doubt how I feel about you Carol. When we go home, I'm going to come see you every weekend." He said. "Every weekend, I promise."

"It's over three hundred miles Daryl." She started.

"Sweetheart." He turned to her. "I can do that in my sleep, it's in my blood. It's what we do, my brother and I."

He kissed her forehead.

"I got this, and when you get your car, we can meet halfway." He squeezed her hand, and as she turned to go she looked back at him, because he wouldn't let go of her hand. "One more?"

She smiled and leaned in to kiss him again.

"I'll never get tired of kissing you Carol." He smiled that smile that was just for her and she turned and walked towards Lori and the cabin. She got to the porch and sat down next to Lori and watched him disappear into the woods. In a few minutes she saw the familiar flick of his zippo, he was lighting a cigarette.

"Hey." Lori said as Carol sat down next to her.

"Hey." Carol said. "Everything ok?"

"Yeah. Tara was here checking on us but I put all the pillows in your bed, the usual." She smiled at her.

"She knows." Carol said. "She isn't stupid."

"Of course she knows." Lori laughed. "So how was it?"

She bumped shoulders with Carol and Carol grinned.

"Amazing." She said laughing.

"Are you in love?" Lori asked.

"I think so…I mean we say it to each other and I feel… different with him. I feel it."

"I'd like to fall in love someday." Lori mused and turned to Carol. "Aren't you glad you came here?"

"I am, and I didn't want to come, I have to thank my Mom for making me come here."

"Sure, tell her you lost your virginity while you're at it."

"I will." She said.

"What?" Lori's eyes bugged out.

"We're tight my Mom and me."

"I guess so, wow." Lori said. "Gareth said she's a MILF."

"What?" Carol said scrunching her face up. "He's such a creep."

"Agreed." Lori said. "So you'll see Daryl on weekends when we go back home and you'll stop by to see me sometimes right?"

"Yeah we will, do you really think he'll come see me?"

"I really think he will." Lori said. "And for god's sake get on the pill."

"My Mom will take me."

"Shit, she is cool."

Carol nodded, she knew she was lucky to have the mother she had. Her mother had sensed that she needed something and she found it. She found it where she least expected it and when she didn't even look for it.

"I wish I could talk to my Mom that way." Lori said.

"We've always been close." Carol said. "She is going to love him, not just because, you know, the money."

"Good." Lori said. "Hey what kind of car does your Mom drive Shane said it's hot."

"A Porche 911 Targa, 1985 she said I could have it because she's getting a minivan or a jeep or something. That's why I came here." She laughed. "That was the deal, the job for the car."

"That worked out for you huh?" Lori laughed.

"In both ways, I'm so glad about the Targa I'm not ever driving a minivan." Carol said and they got up and walked into the cabin.

/

Carol and Daryl were walking back to the lodge with two of his archery students about a week later. They would be going home in two weeks but they had talked a lot about how they were going to proceed from here.

He had already called Merle and told him more about Carol and informed him of their plans for the weekends. Merle said whatever and secretly thought it wouldn't last.

Carol's mother didn't object to them seeing each other either, she knew better than to try and keep two hormonal teenagers away from each other. But she doubted they would have the stamina for what they had planned.

They were both going to college next year and her mother was sure they would each meet other people, if not sooner. It was a cute summer romance.

Her mother was sure it would burn itself out on its own. She wasn't going to fight it.

They walked hand in hand up to the lodge and she saw a familiar back leaning against the railing. She knew him anywhere and that was the moment she knew she was well and truly in love with Daryl. The forever kind of love.

She shook her head and whispered. "I don't believe this."

"What?" Daryl said.

Garrett turned around and smiled at her in his hands he held a small velvet box.

"Carol, there you are, I couldn't wait till you got home, I had to come right away."

Daryl stood next to her, not moving and taking his cue from her in this situation. He had a feeling about this, and who this douchebag was. He wanted to put a bolt in him and he had his crossbow on his back, which was convenient.

"I couldn't wait to tell, you and give you this."

He came down the stairs towards her with a big grin on his face.

"I'm ready, now don't get excited, it's not… It's a promise ring though, I'm ready to commit to you."

Carol looked at him and erupted in the loudest most musical, freeing and wonderful laugh that Daryl ever had heard.

/

They said it wouldn't last. But it did. And he was the one she accepted a ring from.

Daryl kept his word and drove to her every weekend while they were in high school. When she finally got her car on the road he kept it running for her and they would meet half way, holing up in hotels at the halfway point between both their houses.

They did that all through senior year in high school and all of college, because they went to separate school, because of their majors.

The both went to and graduated college and were married five years after they first met almost to the day. Lori was her maid of honor and Merle stood up for Daryl. Carol was a nurse at the local hospital but on a leave of absence at the moment.

Daryl worked for the county as an environmental specialist, a tree hugger, as Merle put it. But Merle was so proud of him for both going to college and following his heart and doing what he loved.

Merle was still racing, they saw each other often and were still very close.

Daryl drove his truck one summer day with the windows rolled down and the radio playing Nirvana to the house they lived in now. Her Targa was in the driveway next to the minivan that she now drove their three daughters around in.

He pulled in the driveway and got out and leaned against his truck thinking for the millionth time how lucky he was. The door flew open and three little blonde haired girls came running out the door screaming "Daddy"

He squatted down as seven year old Sophia and five year old twins Lizzie and Mika all tackled him into the grass. Carol came out the door and walked down the steps and waited till the girls let him up. Finally they did and ran towards the back yard to play and he walked over and sat down next to her.

"How are you and the boy?" He kissed her cheek and rubbed her stomach and the baby kicked. "He is a kicker huh?"

"Yeah, he is." She bumped his shoulder. "Thought of a great name today."

"Hit me." He said. They had been back and forth with names since she first found out they were having a boy this time. They planned one more baby and then they were going to be done. But they had a hell of a time picking a boy's name. Daryl didn't want a junior and there was only one Merle Dixon so those were both out.

"Gareth." She laughed.

"Oh fuck no, you aren't naming my son after that creepy motherfucker." He said.

"We should though, if it wasn't for him you never would have kissed me that night."

He nodded his head but not in agreement. "Yeah I would have."

"Sure. I believe that." She leaned over and kissed him.

"You should believe it." He grinned. "And ever since then, I can't stop kissing ya."

The end


End file.
